Perfectly Imperfect
by robotiancornattack
Summary: Highschool AU/Iancorn. David's world is turned upside down when his mother remarries, and he's forced to live in a 'perfect' household and change schools. He struggles to fit in, make friends, and understand what his mother has against his brother Matt. His only salvation comes in the form of a kid with OCD and a drug addict. Warning: contains mental illness and drug use
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. I don't claim to known, own or otherwise profit from anyone associated with Smosh or Smosh Games. It's just for fun!**

_Author's Notes: So...I totally didn't expect to get this chapter done so quick. I started working on this tonight and just couldn't stop typing. Umm, this is going to be a very dark one - veeeery different from the ones I've written thus far. I'll keep the rating at T for now, but I may have to bump it up as the story progresses. I got this idea when I went to see a local musical, so kudos to anyone who can guess which musical it is! Other than that, I realize mental illness can be a touchy topic, and I will do my best to handle it tastefully and realistically, but please feel free to correct me if I've made any mistakes. Thanks for reading!  
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Clothing was ripped from the closets and flung out of drawers. Books, magazines, and sports memorabilia littered the floor, coating every inch of the creaky wooden floorboards. Posters were torn from the walls and the bed was unmade - the sheets pooling around a single suitcase resting in the middle of the mattress, completely empty. David Moss stared at the destruction as though it was someone else's mess - someone else's life being thrown upside down and in disarray.

This was his childhood home. He had grown up here. And now he and his mother were leaving it behind - abandoning the memories of his father and brother that had been kept preserved by these walls, all because she had moved on. All because she fell in love with someone else. Marriages fell apart, yeah. He understood that. But what he didn't understand was why the marriage falling apart had driven a wedge between him and his fraternal twin brother. Why had they been sent to separate houses?

David stepped forward, carefully lifting one of his videogames from the shelf - the only items that hadn't been completely upended and thrown around in frustration. A light tap on the glass of his large bedroom window pulled his attention away, and he saw his brother Matt hovering outside - clad in his black hoodie and torn jeans. They didn't look alike the way you would expect with twins, but the resemblance was enough to make it known they were brothers - the same hair color, the same dark eyes, and the same lack of sun in their complexion.

"Open the window, dickhead," Matt pulled his hood a bit further over his face, glancing over his shoulder to make sure he wasn't spotted.

David stepped over his belongings, unlocking the window and yanking it up so Matt could come in off the roof's ledge, "You shouldn't be here. Mom made it pretty clear she didn't want you around the last time she caught you..."

It was true. Matt took a risk every time he showed up. Their mother always got irrationally upset when she caught David and Matt together - and David always got the brunt of it. He honestly wished he could be more like Matt, sneaking in without a care and leaving much the same way. Even now, after David's warning - Matt merely shrugged with his natural indifference, cleared a space on the bed and sank onto it.

"I don't care what she thinks. You shouldn't either. You know the only reason she's moving out is so she can keep us apart. When are you gonna tell her to fuck off already?" Matt paused, reaching in his pocket and pulling out his pack of cigarettes. He offered one to David.

For a moment, David contemplated it - smoking in their mom's house and not packing like he said he would, would be the ultimate act of defiance. But he was too much of a coward to defy her, too much under control to do anything to upset the balance any more than Matt already had, so he waved his hand to decline the smoke before he came to settle beside Matt.

"I don't think it's the only reason. I think she genuinely loves the guy we're moving in with. I mean, she is marrying him in three days. But keeping us apart is probably a strong incentive. She keeps saying 'David, we need to live a normal life. Living with Kenichi will give us that normal life.'"

Matt put the cigarette between his lips and lit it up, "It's bullshit. It's an excuse. She doesn't even look at me when I'm here. She hates me. She gave birth to me AND you! Why are you the only one she can look in the eye? I'll tell you why. Because you're a bitch."

"I'm no-" David began to protest, but the argument was weak at best. He was a bitch. He would have left so many years ago if he wasn't.

"You are a bitch. One she can control. One she has right under her thumb. We're almost eighteen, you know. We don't have to take it. We can leave and live our lives better than how she tries to control them."

The offer sounded so tempting. Matt had a way of offering a light at the end of a dark tunnel - a path David could take if he wasn't a coward. If he could just take the leap, he was sure the life Matt offered would make him soar. To be free and not have to abide by the rules, overprotection, and medication - he fantasized about it for a moment, traveled the paths in his mind and was only broken out of his daze when he heard footsteps ascending the stairs.

"David, who are you talking to?" His mother's voice shattered his daydream and brought reality crashing back down.

"You gotta go," David rose quickly and ushered Matt to the window.

"She's gotta face me at some point!" He argued, dragging his feet but still obliging his brother's wishes.

David's tension rose and his heart raced when he heard their mother approaching the door. He practically shoved Matt out the window and onto the ledge, grabbing his cigarette from him so he could climb without having it in his hands. Matt gave him a defiant look, and they stared at each other - locked in a showdown. Matt challenging David to let him back in and David pleading Matt to leave to avoid trouble. Somehow or another, David won this time and Matt relented, slinking down the ladder. He watched until Matt had disappeared into the woods, exhaling a breath of relief just as his mother opened the door.

He didn't turn to face her, instead watching her reflection in the glass of the window. He saw her take a look around at the mess and frown. He saw her direct that frown at his back, "David, I told you to - is that a cigarette?"

Realizing he was still holding Matt's cigarette, he quickly tossed it out the window, "It's not mine."

Her hands claimed her hips, "Really? Then who's is it? No, wait. Don't tell me..." She walked to the window and closed it, twisting the lock into place. "Matt's."

David finally met her gaze, but he didn't respond.

The disapproval registered on her face, "I don't think you realize you can't hide it from me." A long suffering sigh unveiled past her lips and she opened a little amber bottle in her hands, upending a tiny pill into her palm. "I see you forgot to take it again. Three pm, every afternoon. You have to keep on a schedule otherwise it won't work."

David slapped her hand away, the capsule flying into the air and landing in a stack of papers, "Why? So I forget what it is to feel angry or upset? So I can take the pill and be so fucking happy for you and Kenichi? So I can be your perfect little prize of a son to show off to your soon-to-be doctor husband and we can live our lives without Dad or Matt! Why won't you look at him?! Why do you hate him so much?"

The words exploded from him - outrage bursting out like a tidal wave. David felt destructive, so he ripped the suitcase off the bed and thrust it with all of his strength into the wall. It made a loud crash and clattered to the floor, and for a moment they both stared at it. His mother with exhaustion and David with fear; he lost control of himself. There was chaos in his mind, a battle of raging emotions. Overwhelmed - he sank to his knees and wept. It took a moment, but he slowly felt his mother's arms encircle him and much though he wanted to keep her as the object of his anger, he couldn't. He melted into her embrace and took the offered comfort.

"David, I love you. You are my world. And I don't hate Matt. I love him too," she pulled back slightly, cupping the sides of his face and lifting his head so they could make eye contact. "But he can't come with us. He's with your father, and that's where he needs to stay. I know you don't think it's fair. And I don't think it's fair either. If I had my way - if there was anything I could do, he would be with us, you know. But there isn't. And it's something you need to accept as well."

He sniffled, wiping his nose on his sleeve. It was the most she had ever divulged to him, the most she had ever said about Matt in years. Up until this point, the only thing she had ever said about him was 'he can't be here.' To know she still cared, well, David wished Matt had stayed in order to hear those words, but he would have to tell him next time they saw one another. No matter how much she said he couldn't visit them at the new house, David knew Matt would find a way.

He leaned his head against the side of his mattress, shaking it slowly, "I can't accept it. I won't. He's my brother and I'll fight for him no matter what."

His mother inched back completely, sifting through the paper pile until she found the pill that had been lost. She picked it up and put it in his hands gently, closing his fingers around it, "I know it's hard, but you have to try." She leaned in, giving him a light kiss on the forehead before rising to her feet. "Things are going to be different. They'll be better when we move. You'll see. Now, can you get started on packing your things, please? It would make things so much easier if you were all ready by Thursday."

"That's tomorrow, Mom..."

"Is it? My, time goes by so quickly. I haven't even called the florists for Saturday! Or double checked my hair appointment or gotten together with Mindy," she bustled from the room in a flurry of wedding plans and stress, leaving David with the aftermath of her presence and the hurricane of his own.

He hated being caught in the middle - stuck between hers and Matt's worlds. He hated her expectations of him to be her one and only son. He hated that she was marrying someone else. He hated that come Monday, his room wouldn't be his room - and the world he knew would merge with someone else's world and family and school. He hated the anxiety, the stress about having to fit in, and the concern that his social anxiety would cause them to hate him as much as he hated himself.

David looked down at the pill in his hand and pushed it into his mouth, swallowing it quickly and hoping it could chase all the hate and other emotions away to leave him feeling nothing. More than anything, he longed to be pleasantly numb.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Notes: I know that Kalel isn't Japanese, but I always thought she looked a little like it. So for the sake of AU plot, she's now half Japanese haha. Also, I'm sorry for the lack of Ian just yet. I promise he will either make his grand entry next chapter or the chapter after that. A little minor warning that I'm not sure requires a warning, but this chapter contains David's skeptical views about the mental health field. If you're extra sensitive to those things, I would say to stay away. But his opinions are his own and in no way reflect mine. Anyway, thanks for reading!_

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Dr. Kenichi Takahashi had his PhD in Psychiatry, and was one of the most esteemed psychotherapists in all of Sacramento County. If you were ever looking for a mental health professional, someone would always recommend his name. He had numerous clients, most of which were satisfied and all of which were repeat customers. He had worked on high profile cases. He wrote books, and if he didn't write them and they were related to psychology in this modern era, his name would most likely be found in there somewhere. He had so many credentials, so much going for him - but David wondered, as he boredly picked at the piece of wedding cake with his fork, how a man who made an career of helping people couldn't help himself? The marriage to his mother would be Kenichi's third marriage, after all.

David didn't like him. Though the man was nothing short of pleasant, and had been a charming groom - both romantic and appreciative to his mother throughout the ceremony and reception; though the man breezed through the room and made each of the guests feel welcome, including David himself - David still didn't like him. He maintained his skepticism, believing the pleasant face was just a facade - something Kenichi went to school for. He had trained many years just to learn how to shut off his humanity and become someone people were supposed to trust, a living receptacle for all of their problems. And the world was so stupid, they fell into his trap.

David was no stranger to the world of psychotherapy - of sitting on that damn couch while some overpaid professional told him they were there to help. Depression, bipolar tendencies, social anxiety, suicidal thoughts, he had received medication for it all at some point - and several adjustments later, he was still fucked up. Go figure. Dr. Takahashi and all of the other so called "doctors of the mind" made their money off of people having problems. Why would they even bother to fix what was broken if what was broken fueled their paychecks and paid for their swimming pools?

He tore his cake apart further until it was in complete crumbles. His eyes lifted, flickering to his Mom while she laughed and enjoyed herself, gliding across the floor like a princess at a ball. He had to admit it was nice to see her doing something other than stressing, but that didn't make him glad to be here. He hated being in the center of a huge social event, hearing from family members about how he had grown and how handsome he looked in his suit. And as though honing in on his thoughts, one of his aunts started walking his way. David caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye and shrank down in his seat, hoping that if he didn't make eye contact, she would just go away.

No such luck, though. She waddled her way over and sat on the chair across from him - the seat creaking under her girth. This was Aunt Margaret - his mother's older and much heavier sister. She had her graying brown hair twisted in fat sausage curls on her head, and her makeup reminded David of a clown trying to go subtle. Aunt Margaret was the gossip of the family, thriving on getting in everyone's business and doing a damn good job of it - she didn't even need the fancy doctorate.

"Wow, David! You've grown so much since the last time I saw you. And you're handsome too! I'm sure you're very popular with the ladies at school, aren't you?" There was a twinkle in her eye that pretended to be conversational and kind, but David could tell she was fishing for information.

He finally picked up a few fork fulls of cake and crammed them in his mouth, making a noncommittal sound.

She laughed and left it at that. Obviously, she had more important things to discuss than David's business because she was very quick to move on, "There's nothing wrong with attracting women - well, unless you're like Kenichi, of course. Poor Claire doesn't know what she has gotten herself into. Look over there at those two pretty asian women..."

He followed her gesture so his eyes could land on them. An older woman dressed in a conservative, yet fashionable, dress stood beside an even prettier younger woman - who wore a light green, high-low dress that flowed airily to her knees, showing off her rather nice legs. David got distracted by checking them out for a little too long before shaking himself out of his daze. The two women were both dark haired, both Japanese, and both very beautiful.

Magaret didn't wait to have David's attention again, leaning in to speak softly, "The older one is his first wife Kyoko. Apparently, they're on very amicable terms. And standing right next to her is her daughter Mariko. A very established ballerina, that one. She's toured the nation with some of the most well known troupes in the country, as the _lead_ in most of her shows. Do you know how difficult that is? You have to be extraordinary! Perfect, even! Kenichi and Kyoko have the bond of having the perfect child, and I'm sure that's not the only bond between them. How long do you think it'll be before they start sleeping together again?"

David made a disgusted face and pushed his cake to the side.

Still, Aunt Magaret carried on, "And that's not even the worst of it. Even if by some miracle they don't hook up - and trust me, a man would have to be a eunuch to pass _that _up - I heard the second wife is absolutely insane. Like the type of ex wife you'd watch on Snapped."

His eyebrows rose and in spite of himself, she had caught his attention.

"She's apparently an alcoholic and has been arrested for assault on more than one occasion. Kenichi currently has custody of his child with her. Your stepsister...right over there," she gestured. "Her name is Kalel - perhaps a bit of evidence of her mother's insanity. Who in their right mind would name their daughter something like that? But anyway, that poor soul. She's beautiful, but look at how sad she is. Where does she fit in? She's not the prettiest daughter and as far as she's concerned, she has no mother. Hopefully she doesn't take her anger out on Claire or turn out to be just as crazy as her mother. I'd like to think that being born from someone who treats insanity and someone who IS insane would create some sort of balance, but you never can tell, can you?"

She continued to ramble on, but David's eyes had drifted toward the girl she spoke about - Kalel. She stood by herself, pretty in pastel pink, with her light brown hair swept up in a clip. She had the almond shaped eyes of her father, but other than her complexion, the rest of her appearance must have come from her mother. There was a distance about her expression, though. One David recognized and understood far too well - the feeling of being out of place. He saw in Kalel a kindred spirit and suddenly felt compelled to go talk to her.

"I need to go...over there," David made a vague gesture to some section of the room, dismissing himself from being the receptacle of his aunt's gossip. No sooner had he stood up was Magaret already finding the next poor soul to chat with. They had his condolences.

In the meantime, he drew in a breath and went through the typical apprehension when it came to talking to anyone new. David wrung his hands, running what he was going to say over and over in his head on the walk, and a voice kept telling him it wasn't too late to back out now. But for once, he stood up to the voice because damnit this was going to be his 'sister.' Interaction would be a necessity at some point, so might as well get the worst of it over and done with now.

He reached Kalel, standing before her. She met his gaze and arched her brow in question. He supposed he was taking far too long to talk, so he blurted out the first word his mouth would form in order to break the ice, "Hey."

"Hey," she responded in kind, the brow raising higher.

Awkward. "So...I guess we're siblings now."

"Yeah," she looked down at the long stemmed glass in her hand, swishing it around idly. "Guess so."

"Look, I'm not really happy about it either..."

"Do I _look _not happy to you?" Kalel's expression became sharp; her tone biting.

"Well," David grew a little flustered under her harsh stare, flubbing his thoughts. "Y-yeah?"

"I am happy. I'm just fucking peachy. I love weddings," she swigged her drink and swallowed her bitterness along with it.

"Yeaaaah. You sound like you do," he muttered to himself.

"What was that?"

David shook his head. This had been a bad idea. He should have known better, "Nothing. Nevermind. It was nice meeting you and all."

He started to walk away. Much to his surprise, she caught his sleeve to stop him, "Wait..."

David paused, giving her his attention.

Kalel released his jacket when she realized he wasn't going anywhere. "Look, I'm sorry. You're right. I'm not happy about this. It's nothing against your Mom or anything, but it's just...it's complicated."

He opened his mouth to respond, but the next thing he knew - the pretty girl in green had just approached them. Mariko, the other daughter. "Kalel, Dad wants to get a picture with the both of us." She paused and then glanced over at David. "Oh! Is this your boyfriend Anthony?"

"No. It's David Moss. Our newest brother from another mother..."

Since Kalel took care of the introduction, David offered a shy little wave.

"Hi, David! I'm Mariko, but most people just call me Mari. It's nice to meet you, and welcome to the family," she smiled a smile that lit up her face. She was beautiful. Was it wrong to get a boner for a stepsister?

He couldn't even think of a response before Kalel was interjecting with an air of just wanting to get it over and done with, "Anyway. Dad wanted the picture, yeah? Let's go do it."

"Right," Mari agreed and offered one final wave to David before floating off into the crowd with Kalel dragging her feet behind her.

David watched them wordlessly, unsure of what to think. It was easy to get taken in by Mari's charm, but Kalel was the one he would be living with. He hadn't had much of a chance to form an opinion on Kalel beyond initially thinking she was a bitch. How would that have changed if Mari hadn't interrupted with her strong beautiful legs and her gorgeously long hair and her small but perky-

"I'd do her," a voice sounded in David's ear, causing him to jump and whirl around. Matt stood there with a grin on his face and a stolen piece of cake in his hands.

"Matt! What're you doing here?" David hissed, looking around to make sure everyone else was too distracted to notice. He wasn't even dressed in anything that would be considered wedding appropriate.

"I crashed. C'mon. I have a right to go to Mom's wedding, don't I? So you gonna introduce me to the tall one? Or do I have to go meet her myself?" Matt scarfed down the cake as he watched the fleeting form of the two sisters.

"No. No. _No! _You have to get out of here..."

"But I JUST got here. Can't I stay for a little bit?"

David shook his head adamantly, giving Matt a subtle push toward the exit. Matt did have a point. He should be allowed to be here and stay for the wedding, but his mother apparently thought otherwise. It was her day, and as unfair and shitty as it was - David didn't want it ruined by Matt being obnoxious because he knew his brother well enough to know that was the only reason he showed up. Relenting, Matt made his way out of the reception area, but not without grabbing a glass of champagne on the way. David looked over his shoulder to make sure no one was watching, that no one would question him. He was thankful, for once, that he was pretty much invisible to the world and so he ducked out of the party to follow Matt outside.

Once they were free from the stuffy indoors and alone in the parking lot did David speak, "She told me she loves you, you know..."

"Bullshit. If she did, you wouldn't be rushing me out the door. Who's side are you on, anyway?" He slammed back the glass of champagne like a champion, not even wincing at the bubbles.

"I'm not on a side. That's half the problem," David muttered. "Do you know how fucking difficult it is for me to be trapped between the two of you? I love you both! You're my family and it kills me that she treats you the way she does. But it also kills me that you act the way you do. This is her wedding day, so can you just not...be you for once?"

Matt stared at David, offended. But after a few seconds, the expression became blank, "Oh my god. It's happening..."

"What's happening?"

"You. She's winning and you're letting her."

"I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Save the bullshit, David! You know exactly what I mean. You're just choosing not to care. This normal life she promised you? I think you're thinking maybe things will be normal if you fall into her trap and live with this rich guy because hey, money buys happiness...or at least it buys happy pills, right?"

It struck a nerve. "Fuck you! What do you know about me?! I hate having to go live with that guy! I hate our stepdad. But what choice do I have? I don't have any money. I don't have a job. Am I supposed to just go live on the streets? I think the problem here is that you're jealous. You wish Mom would take you with her. You WISH she loved you as much as she loves me!"

David went too far. He knew it as soon as he said it - as soon as he saw the way Matt's face crumbled and the pain that manifested itself in its place. He opened his mouth to apologize, but Matt held up his hand to silence him, dropping the champagne glass onto the pavement. It shattered into a million tiny fragments, glimmering in the moonlight like freshly fallen tears. Matt didn't say anything. He just started walking away aimlessly, and for some reason, David was rooted in his spot. He was torn between following and staying behind - torn between Matt and his mother once again.

The door opened behind him, and a feminine voice rose up in question. It was Kalel, "David? Is everything okay?"

He looked back at her, "Oh...uh. Yeah. I was just getting some air..."

Her eyes flickered toward the broken glass and then back up at him, expression entirely unreadable, "Your Mom's looking for you. They want to get a few 'family' photos." She finger quoted.

David spared one final, lingering look in the direction Matt had gone before he slumped and turned toward the door. "Alright. I'm coming..." Because as torn as his heart was at the moment, he really had no other choice. Why couldn't Matt understand that?


	3. Chapter 3

_Author's Notes: What I love about having time off is that I can just sit around and write all day. No obligations other than creativity. I'll be so sad to have to go back to work next week, lol. But this author's note isn't all happy-go-lucky because I have to come in with the warnings. I feel like every chapter is going to have it's own random warning when it comes to this story. MAYBE if they gave you more space in the summary section...AHEM AHEM. But I digress - so warning: this chapter contains panic attacks, some brief suicidal thoughts, and voyeurism. Also no Ian. :( which is a warning all on its own, but next chapter he shows up for sure! Thanks to everyone for reading so far._

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After the wedding, David had gone with the rest of the 'family' to their new home. Although he claimed to be exhausted and went to bed as soon as they got there, it had really been an excuse to escape to his room. He wasn't going to sleep. It might have been the same furniture, bed, and belongings - but it wasn't his room. This place wasn't his home. He didn't belong here. So what right did he have to fall asleep here?

He laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. A part of him wished to hear Matt's familiar knocking on the window, but not only did his brother not know where he lived...David was pretty sure Matt wouldn't want anything to do with him. He wished he could go back in time and take back what he said. Everything had fallen apart around him, and the one thing David was sure would always remain constant was his relationship with Matt. They were twins. For nine months they shared the same blood, same food, same womb. Theirs was a bond deeper than any other, and in that way, they knew how to hurt each other best.

David clenched his fist and slammed it into his pillow. Damnit! Why did he have to be so stupid? Why did this have to happen now on top of everything else? Why couldn't Matt have just stayed away from the wedding? David closed his eyes and tried to will his thoughts to stop. He heard the distant bellow of voices downstairs, the chatting and laughing of his new family. His mother and Kenichi should have been out celebrating their honeymoon, but they both had far too many responsibilities and obligations to take the time off to themselves. Listening to them and all their enjoyment, though, David wished they had gone.

He grabbed his pillow and shoved it over his ears, hoping he would pass out and not have to deal with any of this anymore for a few hours. Instead, he spent those few hours dealing with just that - tossing over his thoughts and mulling over his situation. The more he thought, the more he began to work himself up until his pulse began to race and he started to find it difficult to breath. No. Nonono. Not now.

He tossed the covers off, sitting up on the bed. He tried to draw in deep breaths, but his chest tightened against them. David felt as though he was suffocating, and immediately got up - running to the window and tossing it open. He ripped the screen out so he could stick his head out the window and gulp down the cool, crisp night air. Chills racked his spine, and he was becoming dizzy, but he continued to breath, continued to do his best to calm himself down. And for one brief moment, he realized how easy it would be to jump - how fast that would end all of his pain and suffering. David recoiled from the thought, snapping his attention up and away from the ground and unintentionally looking at the window across from him.

Kenichi's home was large and overindulgent. A house that wrapped around itself and protected a large, in ground pool at its center. Because of the design, David had a view of the rooms at the other end of the house - particularly one window that was at eye level with his. He could see it perfectly - Mari glowing under the backlight of a lamp. She hadn't pulled the shade, the thought obviously slipping her mind. Perhaps she didn't realize David was there, or perhaps she thought he was actually sleeping. He hadn't turned on the light, after all.

But regardless of what she thought, David saw her strip out of her dress. He knew he should have looked away, but as she unhooked her bra, his panic had faded into a warm rush of something else. He stared at her, transfixed on her image as she gave him an unknowing striptease - getting into a satin blue nightie. She disappeared from the window's view for a moment, and then the light was extinguished - leaving David alone with the shock and arousal of what he'd just seen. Slowly, he pushed himself away from the window, and took the mental image to bed - drowning in a pit of masturbatory bliss and guilt.

He was so fucked up.

* * *

At some point or another, David had drifted off to sleep. He knew this only because he woke up in the morning with the sun blaring in from his fully open window. He groaned and pulled the covers up over his head - hoping the drown out the world for a little while. The smell of sausage and pancakes wafted up the stairs, teasing his senses and causing his appetite to betray him. He tried to reason that the food wasn't worth dealing with the people, but in the end, his stomach won the battle.

He paused when he got up, wedging the half-broken screen back into the window and doing a shoddy job of it, but he left it as it was and headed downstairs in his pajamas. The whole family was seated around the table except his mother who was slaving away at the stove. Kenichi sat at the head, sipping a cup of coffee and reading the newspaper while Kalel sat with her arms folded, giving half hearted responses as Mari tried to ask her about her life. Mari...David paled a bit when he saw her, and as he paused in the doorway, everyone looked up at him.

"Ah, David. I was wondering when you'd be joining us. Have a seat. Your mother boasts to be one of the best pancake makers in the country. What would you say? Is this an exaggeration?" Kenichi smiled conversationally, and the expression was enough to piss David off. Did this guy really think he could win him over that easily?

"She's good. If you like pancakes, I guess..." he paused at the end of the table, unsure of where he should sit. He chose the spot next to Kalel because he honestly didn't think he could handle being so close to Mari right now.

"Hm. I can't wait to try them," Kenichi seemed unconcerned by the short reply. "So you start school tomorrow. Kalel, you'll show him around, right?"

Kalel made a face - probably dread at the thought of being stuck with a tagalong. David supposed he couldn't blame her. "Yeah, I guess."

"You'll like it there, David. I went to Sacramento, and the atmosphere is great - especially if you're into any of the arts," Mari smiled her dazzling smile, and David wanted to lie and say he was into all the arts just to keep her smiling at him like that.

"When did you graduate?" He blurted out dumbly because he wanted to keep the conversation going.

"Two years ago. I guess I'm pretty old compared to you younguns," she winked, threading her fingers together and resting her chin on them.

"But you're pretty amazing. I mean...so I hear. My...um...my aunt. She said you did ballet and all. And you're good at it and stuff," his eyes lowered to his plate and he felt the embarrassment heat his cheeks. Why did he always come off sounding like a moron every time he opened his mouth?

But Mari was an angel who looked past it and answered easily, "Wow. I'm flattered. I'm really not that special. I just love to dance..."

"Nonsense!" Kenichi interrupted, setting the paper down and fixing her with a stern expression. "You are incredible and effortless on stage. Most dancers wish they had your passion and technical ability. You are the best, Mariko." He dissolved into Japanese and Mari answered him fluently, with a modesty and charm in her voice and on her face.

David didn't know what made him glance at Kalel, but when he did he saw a distaste on her face. He looked between the three of them, and the spell Mari had cast on him was broken when he realized what it was doing to Kalel. Kalel was just like Matt, an outsider looking in on the favored child. The only difference was she was the one who lived here while Mari was the visitor. He frowned a little and before long, his mother was placing the plates before them - serving Kenichi last and lingering there to give him a disgusting peck on the lips.

David grabbed his fork and chopped down on the edge of a piece of sausage, spearing it with the prongs - only to be stopped by Kalel placing her hand atop his. He looked at her in question and then glanced up to see Kenichi's head bowed in a quiet blessing, murmuring something in Japanese. Oh you've got to be kidding - he had to wait for this shit before he could dig into his food? Thankfully it didn't take long and after Kenichi got to taste the meal first and compliment his Mom, Kalel relinquished her grasp and David was free to do the only thing he came down here for - eat.

Everyone else seemed to do the same - well, except Mari who took far too much care in cutting her meal into tiny pieces. She was the first one to break the silence, "So I'll be back this way next month. Our troupe will be performing Swan Lake at the Community Center theater on October 10th."

"Oh. We'll be sure to be there," Kenichi spoke proudly. "I always do love seeing you perform."

"_Dad_," Kalel's voice rose up in frustration. "You said you were coming to my piano recital that night."

Flustered, Kenichi looked toward her, "That's right. I'm sorry. I had forgotten the date..."

Mari shook her head easily, "Don't worry about it. Kalel's is far more important."

"Nonsense. You're both equally important," Kenichi retorted and then looked at David's mother. "One of us should at least be at the other. Would that be alright with you, Claire?"

Kalel said nothing, taking a small bite of pancake, but David could read what she didn't say on her face. So he blurted out, "Mom - I think you should go to the ballet. You've never been to one before. Wouldn't that be great? And Mr. Takahashi can go to the recital."

Everyone looked at him in surprise. His mother's expression turned harsh at David for speaking out of turn and Kenichi, well, he appeared a little displeased with the decision being made for him. Mari's expression remained neutral, not betraying her thoughts, but Kalel (and she was the most important one - the reason he had spoken up) wore an appreciative smile because she understood what he was trying to do, and that made it worth it.

"First of all, David. You don't have to be so formal. Please, call me father..." Kenichi spoke smoothly, trying to recover from the fact that he had lost control of the dominance at the table for a second.

"Not for nothing, sir. But I have a Dad. And you're not him..."

"David!" His mother warned.

"No, it's fine, Claire. We can't force the boy to accept the family. We only must accept him so he can come to us of his own free will," Kenichi laid on the psychology bullshit. "As for the 10th, we'll see as we get closer to the date which one works with whose schedule."

He settled it by not settling it, and that pissed David off. He clenched his fist around his fork and ate with a fury - hoping the sooner he got done, the sooner he could get away. Mari didn't even give them that. With her plate full of small pieces of food, pushed around and hollowed out in the middle, she reached over to take her napkin and swipe it across her lips, proclaiming how good the meal was but she really had to run. David looked down at what she left and then back up at her as she hugged her father and his mother. Everyone had their issues, he supposed.

"Please honor us with your visit again soon, Mariko," Kenichi called out.

"Of course, father." Mari came around the table, reaching an arm around Kalel's shoulder and giving her a squeeze. "See you soon, little sis." And when she did the same to David, he tensed beneath her touch - unable to get the mental image of last night out of his head. She seemed blissfully unaware, thankfully. "It was nice meeting you, David."

And with those words, she was off - presumably to be seen only every now and then. David finished off his plate and then got up, taking it to the sink and dismissing himself as well. He heard the beginnings of a protest from Kenichi, but ignored them in favor of vaulting up the steps and making his way to his room. No sooner had he closed the door did he hear footsteps following him. He recognized them as his mother's. No new house or new stairs could hide the way she walked up them.

She knocked once to announce her presence before opening it up, "David..."

"I know what you're going to say. I need to make more of an effort. I have to get along with everyone..." he flopped onto his bed, tucking one arm behind his head and using the other one to grab a rubber ball off his night stand, tossing it up in the air and catching it as it fell.

She came closer, stopping at the foot of the bed, "I know it's not easy. I'm not going to claim that it is, but I also don't want to cause problems for Kenichi right off the bat. You might not think it's right. You might think I'm betraying your father, and I can understand the loyalty you feel toward him. But things didn't work between us, and now I have a second chance at happiness. It might be selfish, but you're not always going to be with me, David. You'll be eighteen in seven months - old enough to move out on your own and have your own life. If you can just put up with this for that long, then you'll have everything within your power to change it. But I think you'll find Kenichi really isn't that bad if you give him the chance."

"Then how come things didn't work out between him and his first two wives? Isn't that a good sign that he might not be the one for you?" David caught the ball one last time before setting it aside.

"That's my mistake to make, so let me make it on my own. You don't have to help me..."

"Are you done now?" David looked toward her, really wanting to be left alone.

She seemed disappointed by his response, but accepted it nonetheless. "Don't forget to take your BuSpar." She patted him on the leg and then left the room.

David watched her go and after she closed the door behind her, he got up in order to lock it so that there would be no other unwanted interruptions. After having to put up with so much bullshit for the past couple of days, he thought it was fair to have a little bit of time to himself. Especially since he would be facing his biggest obstacle yet come tomorrow. The new school.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Notes: Sooo Ian ALMOST didn't make it into this chapter because it was starting to get too long, and I had a very specific way of how I wanted to introduce him. But I figure you guys had waited long enough (because you're here for the Iancorn, yeah? :P) so I gave him a little cameo just to get him in the story. You'll get a proper introduction of him come next chapter, though! As usual, this chapter comes with its warnings - mainly that I introduce the character with OCD. As always, I've done my little bit of research, but the research is nothing compared to people actually living with it - so if I've gotten anything wrong or wrote something offensive, that was not my intent and I would very much appreciate any concrit! And as always, thanks for reading!_

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David stood in front of the bathroom mirror, wetting his comb and trying to tame his bedhead. He stared at his reflection - at his pale face and dark, puffy sleepless eyes. What did it matter if his hair remained flat? His appearance would still be the very definition of crazy. Sure, he fantasized about going to this school and it being a completely new start. He imagined scenarios where he fell into place with the in-crowd and became magically popular like some made-for-television movie created with the sole intent to prey on the emotions of unpopular teens and make them think it could happen to them too. But in the end, David knew this would be no different from his other school. If anything, it could only get worse. Some would probably call him a pessimist, but he would deny that and say he was a realist.

He drew in a deep breath, knowing as the minutes ticked by he couldn't stay locked in the bathroom forever. So he finally stepped out, and nearly bumped into Kalel who was rushing through the hall - sifting through a few last minute papers she printed off. She looked up just before collision and stopped short, an energy drink crammed in her mouth - muffling her apology. David claimed it was okay and made to move past, only to hear her call his name.

Kalel pulled the can from her lips, "Thanks. You know. For yesterday. Sticking up for me like that. It was really cool."

"Oh er...yeah. No problem," he rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably - never sure how to take someone's gratitude since it was a rare thing to be bestowed on him.

"Do you, um..." she looked down at her feet for a moment. "My boyfriend is gonna pick me up for school in about fifteen minutes - if you want to ride with us? I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

David studied her quietly, a small apprehension building in the pit of his stomach. To have to meet someone else - especially someone who was apparently important to Kalel filled him with dread. What if this boyfriend didn't like him? What if he convinced Kalel she shouldn't like him, too? But at the same time, she was offering him sanctuary - she was offering him a quiet ride to school away from a bus filled with strangers. He wasn't sure what he would do if all the seats on the bus were filled and he had to ask someone to sit with them. And what if he mustered up the courage and that person said no? The benefits of going with Kalel definitely outweighed the risk.

"That would be great. Thanks."

She smiled - the most genuine smile he had seen from her yet. It was even more brilliant than Mari's, "I'll meet you downstairs."

He nodded with his own smile since hers was contagious, watching as she scurried off to no doubt put her assignments together. David descended to the lower level, hitching his book bag strap over his shoulder. His mother was up, putting his lunch together for him, and he noticed a warm poptart set out on a plate. David stepped forward to steal the breakfast he assumed was his, biting off a bit of the pastry and approaching the bustling woman. She turned in his direction and gave him a once over.

"Oh, honey. You can't go out like that," her hand reached up to attempt to smooth down his hair, and he batted her away.

"Mom, if it went down it would have by now. Trust me."

She sighed and just looked at him - a warm expression seizing her face, "My little baby boy's all grown up. Sometimes it overwhelms me, knowing you're going to be graduating soon."

"Mom..." he glanced off to the side, embarrassed.

"What? I'm allowed to get sentimental every now and then," she smiled, cramming his bag lunch in his hands. "Now go on before I cry."

David shook his head in mild amusement, polishing off his poptart in a few bites before he handed her the plate, "I'm getting a ride with Kalel and her boyfriend."

"Oh? Well that's great. From what Kenichi says, he seems like a decent boy. He's not too fond of the way he chooses to dress, but clothes don't make the man, I reminded him."

David quite honestly didn't care what Kenichi's opinion was. Whatever opinions that guy had would have no bearing on his own. If anything, he would be likely to think the opposite just to spite him. At that moment, though, Kalel reached the bottom of the steps and poked her head into the kitchen. David backed away from his mother, waving as he did so. "I'll see you later, Mom."

"I want to hear all about your day when I get home from work," she waved to the both of them, and David was pretty sure Kalel returned it only to be polite.

They stepped outside together, walking down the stone steps and waiting at the top of the driveway. The driveway itself was long and paved, leading down a steep hill and winding around a row of trees. It would be a hell of a walk to get to the end just to wait for the bus because it seriously had to be half a mile if he had to guesstimate. So that was another reason why hitching a ride with Kalel was the better option.

Kalel and David stood together in silence, David half wondering if he should say something. He never knew what to say, though. And by the time he picked a generic question and conversation starter, there was a car clunking up the hill.

Kalel's boyfriend certainly didn't drive any high quality vehicle. This had to be a late 90's car - beat up and rusted with the paint half chipping off. The engine roared and the muffler rattled, but if it would get them from point A to point B, that was all that mattered. Besides David found it charming. It reminded him of his old life, owning things that were either too old or only ran half the time. If he were to drive, this was the type of car he would choose.

The silver and rust vehicle parked at the top of the hill, and Kalel rushed over - moving toward the driver's side as the window was rolled down. She leaned in to give the driver a peck and then carried a conversation with him, gesturing over to David. He vaguely saw the boyfriend look his way which caused David to avert his gaze, wondering if the guy would find him weird for watching them or something. But a few seconds later, Kalel called out to him and beckoned him over, so David took the invitation - his feet a bit reluctant to move.

David approached the car, opened the door to the backseat and saw it was filled with bottles, wrappers, sweatshirts, and a guitar case. The driver turned in his seat, reaching back to start moving things out of the way, "Just shove everything to the side. Sorry about the mess, man."

"It's okay. Thanks for giving me a ride," David cleared enough space for himself, and then got in.

"No problem," He answered.

"Anthony, this is my new stepbro David. David, this is Anthony," Kalel gestured between the both of them before she clicked her seatbelt in place.

They both nodded at each other in greeting, and that was it. Kalel and Anthony dissolved into chatter, and David looked out the window as they backed out and went on their way. From the sounds of their conversation (it was impossible not to eavesdrop), Anthony was in a band. Nothing major - just a garage band that played local gigs and tended to practice more than they played. Anthony was apparently the front man/guitarist - and he had the look for it. David didn't consider himself attracted to men or anything, but Anthony was definitely an attractive guy. He had a dimpled smile, attractive dark eyes, a slender but taut frame, and the perfect hair styled long in the front and short in the back. It was the type of hair that would never be prone to bedhead, and even if it was, Anthony probably couldn't look bad. It definitely made David self-conscious about his own appearance in comparison.

But it didn't matter. Who was he trying to impress? Life was just easier for the people who were naturally attractive, and he couldn't change what he was born with. The only thing he could envy was that he wasn't Matt, since that was the closest he came to being someone other than himself.

David kept quiet the entire ride - remaining alone in the backseat with his thoughts, and before long they arrived at school. The building itself was huge with a large field hosting a track, soccer field, baseball field and football field. Several students hung around outside, chatting and conversing. As they rolled up to this scene, David wished he didn't have to get out and face it. He didn't do well with new situations. Even though he had his schedule in hand with all of the room numbers on it, he felt as though he was being thrown into the battlefield with nothing to protect himself. The only person he kind of knew here was Kalel and now Anthony, but he definitely didn't want to become their deadweight. It was bad enough he had bummed a ride off of them.

As soon as they parked, he got out, thanked them again, told Kalel he would see her around and relieved them of his burden by walking head first into the lion's den. David reminded himself that it wouldn't be as bad as he thought. He was just making it seem worse than it was. Classes were numbered and his schedule would be his guide. He headed straight inside, becoming engulfed by the garbled sound of several students trying to talk over one another. His eyes drifted down to his schedule and he looked at a few of the classes he passed - none of them matching what was listed for first period. He kept his eyes down, but his paranoia ran high that everyone was looking at him as he passed. It felt as though he was the center of the world, put on display for everyone to silently judge. And though he knew that thought was ridiculous, he couldn't push it out of his mind.

David rushed through the halls and continued his scavenger hunt, going up stairs and walking along the upper floor before heading back down and weaving through other sections. This was ridiculous! How hard could it be to find? Did he miss it? Were the numbers actually in order? Was room 104 upstairs or downstairs? The bell went off which amplified his urgency to find his way. As the halls started to thin out, David quickened his step in a frantic search for either the class or Kalel. He was so stupid. He should have at least asked her for guidance before he left the car!

With no other choice, he was going to have to buckle down and talk to a stranger. He noticed a boy at the lockers. The kid was slender and nerdy - with dark hair and glasses, wearing a black shirt with the Batman emblem across the front and worn jeans that seemed like he'd had them for years. He shut his locker, began to walk away, cursed to himself and went right back to the locker, doing the combination and opening it again. David was sure he shouldn't interrupt him. The guy seemed very focused on the task and was probably busy - but he was running out of options, so he swallowed his nerves and approached.

"Hey..." David began.

The guy jumped and reared back, snapping in frustration, "_What._"

David winced at the tone, "I'm sorry to bother you. I'm new here and I'm kind of lost, so..."

"You don't want to be seen with me if you're new," he turned back to his locker, tracing his finger along the items inside before he closed it again.

"Why would it matter-" David began, but got his answer when some jocks strolled past - one shoving his would-be helper into the row of lockers with a loud, metallic slam.

"Hey, Joshua - figure out what you're looking for yet?" He chuckled in passing, and the two boys with him laughed as well.

"Ha ha," Joshua straightened his glasses as well as himself, nursing his shoulder.

"Count these a few times, Rain Man," one of the guys flipped him off with both fingers and then the trio disappeared down the hall.

David was left staring at the scene in shock and disbelief. A horrible part of himself, though, was grateful such hatred wasn't directed at him - though he did feel bad for Joshua, who immediately frowned and reopened his locker. His lips set together. This guy's life must have been a living hell here.

"Aren't you going to ask what that was all about?" Joshua didn't look up, but there was a pain in his voice.

"No. I know what it was all about. They're assholes, so fuck 'em."

Joshua halted his reorganizing, slowly turning to David in disbelief, "Are you kidding me? They're some of the most popular kids in school..."

David shrugged indifferently, "Even more reason to call them assholes."

Still in shock, Joshua seemed to be having a hard time believing anyone would actually say something like that or take his side, "But they're right, you know. I'm a freak. I can never make it to class on time because I keep thinking I forgot something. I get these crazy thoughts in my head sometimes and can't get them out. I get obsessed with counting, and I-"

"You just need a friend to steer you in the right direction. And you're just in luck because I need a friend who knows this school," David brought his arm around Joshua's shoulders in order to guide him away from the locker and close it behind him. He then presented the schedule before his guide could become distracted with his locker again. "I'm looking for room 104. English with Mr. MacFadden."

Joshua's expression brightened after David's words, "A friend..." From the way he tasted the word, it seemed as though it was a foreign concept. This only made David all the more certain he wanted to stick around Joshua. But his question was answered as soon as Joshua realized what he asked. "English with Mr. MacFadden? What a coincidence! I'm heading there, too."

"That is a coincidence..." And what luck!

"Let's get to class. You can totally be my excuse as to why I was late. I mean, we can't get in trouble if I was showing the new kid around, right?"

"Now you're thinking," David smirked, folding up his schedule and cramming it in his pocket now that it was no longer needed.

"I'm Joshua Ovenshire, by the way. I'd shake your hand, but...you know. OCD and all," he made light of his disorder with a sheepish grin.

"It's smart. Who knows where my hands have been. I'm the weird new kid, after all," David found it easy to joke with Joshua because they were on the same level; both suffering in ways people couldn't see just by looking at them. "I'm David Moss."

As they passed by the bathrooms, the door to the men's room opened up and someone staggered out of it. David chanced a look to the side, spotting a young man in dingy, careless clothing. His hair was a shaggy mess, only made worse by the dusting overgrowth of facial hair. He met David's gaze with bloodshot blue eyes - giving him the overall appearance of son of a hobo. The stranger approached them, reeking of cigarette smoke and apathy.

"Yo. Either of you got a breathmint?" He asked, voice hoarse.

David, being king of paranoia, always carried Tic Tacs with him along with cologne and deodorant and a spare change of clothes, etc. He pulled his bag in front of himself and unzipped the pouch, offering both the mints and cologne. The newcomer accepted both with a murmur of appreciation before he doused himself and then popped a mint, returning the two items to David's hands.

David quirked a brow, "Uh...try not to catch yourself on fire until that dries. I'm sure it's pretty flammable."

He responded with some sort of strange grunt and then headed on his way quicker than he appeared. David was left perplexed, and he glanced to Joshua in hopes his new pal could fill him in.

Seeming to know what was expected, Joshua shrugged his shoulders, "Ian Hecox, most well-known for being the school burnout. But I don't find him all that bad. He sometimes sits with me at lunch. I mean, I don't know if he even knows where he is or who he's with, but it makes me feel like I have a friend when he does." Joshua's tone was light and amused. It was good to see he could poke fun at himself without being filled with bitter rage.

"He...cocks? Is that really his name?"

"I swear to god it is."

"Wow. I think he has it worse than the both of us," David smiled and Joshua laughed, and in that moment David knew he had just made himself a great friend.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: Hey, guys! Hey, guys! Guess what? I actually don't have a warning for this chapter! Woohoo! Buut I do have a question for you. See, I'm very torn and fortunately no where near the part where this would matter, BUT I'm wondering if you think I should include fully written smut in this story or gloss over it like I have in my others so far. Obviously, the smut would up the rating...but the rating may be upped regardless once I dive deeper into the topics of drug abuse. See, although I don't agree with the rating systems and I'd personally believe teenagers can handle those topics because they probably handle worse in their daily lives, I can't fight the system without likely getting myself banned, lol. So yeah. Let me know what you think! If sex scenes would enhance the story or take away from it and just make it plain gratuitous. Thanks a bunch! _

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Apart from the first one, David and Joshua didn't have any other classes together. David found that disappointing. If he had his way, he would have been in all of Joshua's classes so he could tagalong with him without necessarily feeling like a tagalong. But Joshua was brilliant when it came to science and math, and his schedule reflected this. When it came to those subjects, David was mediocre at best. Joshua did act like a tour guide, however, meeting him after class and walking him to the next one, so there were no more fiascos of getting lost in the oversized school.

David suffered through American History, Math, and Spanish before he got the reprieve of lunch. Kalel's boyfriend Anthony had been in his Spanish class, but David didn't go sit by him or even address him in any way beyond a single nod of recognition before claiming a seat in the back row. Anthony's wasn't a world David wanted to mess with - the structure of a popular kid that may have been his ticket to the in crowd if he wanted to leech on Anthony's status and use their mutual connection to Kalel to his advantage. But it wasn't where David belonged and he knew it just from his encounter with Joshua in the morning.

He was grateful when the bell rang because he honestly couldn't take another verb conjugation. When David left the class, he half expected Joshua to be waiting for him, but he was no where to be found. It wasn't too big of a deal, though. David knew where the cafeteria was from his impromptu tour around school earlier when he passed it like five times in search of the English classroom. He could make it without Joshua's guidance. He wandered down the steps and around the corner, merging with the filtering herd of hungry students. Once inside, he left the crowd and stood at the edge of the cafeteria, scanning the many tables for the familiar Batman shirt he'd come to identify Joshua by.

David saw him standing at the opposite end of the cafeteria, closest to the row of tables by the oversized windows. As he started to approach, though, he noticed Joshua looked agitated and upset - his arms gesticulating frantically at the group seated before him. When David got closer, he saw the group happened to be the same three douchebags from the morning. David moved even closer and heard the tail end of the conversation.

"C'mon, Jesse! You know I always sit here!" Joshua motioned to the seat. "_Always._"

"Yeah?" Jesse appeared well aware, popping a tater tot in his mouth as he looked at the others and chewed obnoxiously. "Well...today _we're_ sitting here. So you can just go find another spot."

"You know I can't!" Joshua protested mournfully.

"That's your problem, isn't it?" He laughed at the apparent distress he was causing, and that was it for David.

He didn't know what spurred him into action, but he suddenly lashed out - grabbing Jesse by his fancy school jacket and ripping him from his chair with surprising strength. Jesse's buddies got up in shock, exchanging glances and unsure if they needed to get involved. David, in the meantime, kept his tone low and threatening, fisting Jesse's collar, "Didn't you hear him? Move your ass before I hand it to you. Because you don't _fuck_ with crazy people."

Jesse broke away from David, glaring at him. David stood his ground with an uncharacteristic amount of courage, not even sure where he was drawing it from. He awaited the next move - bracing himself and anticipating the moment when his nose got shattered causing him to regret everything. But surprisingly, it didn't come. Instead, Jesse grabbed his tray and motioned for the other two guys to do the same. His eyes leveled on Joshua, "You're lucky this time, Ovenshire. But just wait until your little friend ain't around to protect you." His green eyes trailed back to level on David, stepping closer and invading his personal space. His words were murmured quietly, a warning for David's ears only. "I'll take it easy on you right now, new kid. But you better watch your back because you just made an enemy of the wrong crowd."

David didn't rear back or cringe. Instead, he flickered his eyes up to meet Jesse's - grinning a cheshire grin of malicious and absolutely deranged delight. "Bring it."

Clearly uncertain of what to make of David's mental state, Jesse said nothing more and headed off. Joshua's mouth hung open in shock and bewilderment as he watched the retreating forms of his bullies. "Dude. _Dude! _That was so cool! That is like the coolest thing I've ever seen!"

David sank down in one of the newly vacant seats, feeling proud of himself for once. It was exactly the sort of thing Matt would have done. He wished he could have told him. The sobering thought caused his rush to wan, but he still had enough pride left to gloat, "Meh. You know - no big deal."

"Where have you been all my life?" Joshua shook his head in amusement, but there was a hint of a serious note behind his question.

Choosing not to focus on what might have been or how Joshua's life might have been easier if he had grown up in Sacramento, David kept things light-hearted, "Obviously waiting for the right time to make my awesome, grand entrance. Duh. Are you going to sit down or what? I fought for that throne, damnit."

"O-oh! Yeah!" He hastily claimed the seat, and stared at David in admiration. "Those guys are always messing with me. I know it's stupid, but I always sit here. I've sat here since I started this high school, and it always bugs me irrationally when someone takes my place. Like...I can't focus on anything else and my head gets all clouded and I'll pace and pace and won't find another seat. It's that bad. But it's just my thing. My throne, as you said."

"Well as long as I'm here, I'll hold down the fort. So long as you give me all your lunch money, of course," David joked, but when he saw Joshua was actually digging in his pockets for the change - he waved his hands in quick protest. "I'm kidding."

It was amazing how comfortable he felt around Joshua. Perhaps it was because Joshua obviously had it worse than David. His mental affliction interfered with his daily living and gave him an obvious weak spot for people to get in and make fun of - which assholes and douchebags did. But it might have been something more than that. David saw himself in Joshua - weak, pathetic and disliked. Those were qualities that while in himself, he hated, but while in Joshua he wanted to protect. Like a brother. Like Matt. Maybe David was looking for a quick fix brother to make up for the one he lacked at the moment.

He shook the thought away, not wanting to dwell on it and instead focused on unpacking his lunch. David had been in the process of laying his meal out on the table when he looked up and saw someone joining them. It was Ian from the morning, hooking his leg around the chair to draw it out, twist it around and sit on it backwards. He wasn't really looking much better appearance-wise, but his eyes did clear up - no longer tinged with their bloodshot pink. He used those brilliant blues to stare down David, which was a bit unnerving. David felt his self-consciousness return in full force under Ian's unblinking scrutiny.

"Joven. Breathmint Boy," Ian nodded in greeting.

Joshua seemed unbothered by the fact that his name was messed up, "Hey, Ian! You should've seen what David did to Jesse earlier. He was sitting right in this seat, and David barges in, yanks him off his chair and gets all in his face saying 'you don't _fuck_ with crazy people.'" He told the story with animated hand gestures and with a hero adoration David definitely didn't deserve.

Curious how Ian would take it, David looked over at him and awaited his response. But Ian disappointed by not responding at all. Instead he reached out and took one half of David's sandwich. "I'm borrowing this." And then he took a bite.

David exchanged a glance with Joshua and then shrugged, eating the one half he had left. With a mouthful, he addressed Ian, "So my name is David. Not breathmint boy. His is Joshua..."

Ian inhaled the food in a couple bites, keeping his eyes on David, even while he stole Joshua's soda and took a swig, setting it back down before the original owner. He said nothing though, just continued to stare at David as though staring through him.

Joshua made a face of disgust, sliding the can back in Ian's direction, "No. It's okay. You keep it."

"Does he not have normal conversations?" David leaned over to Joshua, not bothering to hide the fact that he was talking about Ian in front of his face. Hell, maybe it would give him something to react to. This whole staring mutely at him thing was weirding David out.

Joshua laughed a little, adjusting his glasses, "No. Not usually. But I guess that's why he sits with me. And now us."

"Touché," David responded, sparing Ian one more glance before focusing on the rest of his lunch.

They didn't talk much the rest of the time. Ian's presence had changed the whole dynamic as he continued to pick at everyone else's lunch to create his own. David didn't resent him, strangely. He wasn't taking the food to be malicious. He just seemed like a hungry guy with no concept of how to relate to people - and hey, David could understand that from personal experience. He found Ian intriguing in a bizarre way - was he high or anti-social? Did he have his own baggage that caused him to self-medicate? Joshua probably didn't have the answers, but David would ask him the next time he was able to talk to the guy alone.

As the bell rang signifying the end of lunch, David withdrew his schedule again to check where he was going, "Gym next. Then Biology last. Think you can continue to be my escort, Josh?"

"I think Ian has gym next too, so we can all walk there if he's actually going..." Joshua rose to his feet, dumping his garbage and then wiping off his spot with a napkin once. Twice. Three times.

David had to pull him away from doing it a forth, "Let's go then."

"Gym, huh? Haven't been there in a week," Ian broke his silence, swiping his nose with an unceremonious sniffle. "Guess I could go today for breathmint boy. Bio, too."

"You're in both those classes?" David ignored the 'breathmint boy' part because he assumed there was no point in correcting him.

Ian nodded, "Supposed to be. If I feel like going. Usually don't bother..."

"Well don't feel obligated on my account..."

Ian had apparently exhausted his social ability because he didn't respond, merely tucked his hands in his pockets and strolled along behind them - lazy and indifferent to the world.

"I hate to say it, because I hate gym, but I'm a little jealous you guys are in it together. I wish I was in your class," Joshua lamented.

David wasn't sure that was an enviable thing because it was likely that after today, Ian wouldn't be showing up very often. Though he supposed if Joshua had been in his class, he would have had someone to partner up with when they were forced to work in pairs. He chose the Ian route, though, and said nothing in response. Before long, they reached the gymnasium, and Joshua parted ways - claiming he would meet them after his chemistry class. This left David alone with Ian which was stranger than being by himself. At least alone, he knew he should keep his mouth shut. With Ian, he was torn between trying to have conversations or leaving him well enough alone. Damnit, he wasn't strong enough socially to handle this kind of pressure and gauge a man who seemed entirely ungaugeable.

They both stepped inside the gym, heading toward the bleachers before David stopped short - being filled with immediate dread. Standing at the bottom row, talking to a few girls, was Jesse and one of his normally two-man crew. For some reason, the possibility of sharing a class with them hadn't even crossed his mind. And worst of all, it was gym - the one class where they were given objects that could be considered weapons and couldn't be penalized for 'accidentally' hitting someone with them. David went to backtrack and leave before he got too far inside. Maybe if he went to the guidance office now, he could get switched into Joshua's morning gym class and have something else put in this time slot.

Ian, however, surprised him by pushing him forward. David looked at the guy bewildered. Ian still said nothing, but guided the way to an empty spot on the bleachers. David frowned, glancing past Ian toward Jesse - who met his gaze briefly, did a double take, and then glared. David had to remember his strength - had to believe in the power of his crazy. He had the advantage, after all. Jesse had no idea who he was or what he was capable of because only someone who was absolutely insane would hang out with Joshua. David drew in a breath, forcing himself to have a calm and carefree demeanor, before he sat beside Ian.

He could feel the heat of Jesse's stare, followed by the weight of a few other students' eyes on him. They were judging him, observing him like their own potential real life drama about to unfold. People were so easily entertained by everyone else. It was disgusting. David folded his hands on his lap and maintained his silence with Ian until he had an epiphany; a sudden realization.

"You're here because of what I did in the lunch room. You're trying to make sure those guys don't fuck me up, aren't you?" David kept his gaze forward, regarding Ian out of his peripheral.

The guy lounged back against the bleachers behind him, resting his elbows on the empty row and reclining comfortably. He didn't answer.

But David understood it all the same. He moistened his lips, and nodded his gratitude, "Thanks."


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note: I'm actually really nervous about posting this chapter. I just want to say in advance that I am not condoning or trying to glorify drug use. The truth of the matter is it's something that happens in our world, something many people have tried or either will try. I, personally, have not and it might be obvious through my depictions of the scene, haha. But that being said, I am very likely going to up the rating of this story come the next chapter. I probably should do that for this one, but I really wanted to give you readers a head's up so you know to look for it in the M section for future updates. Thanks for sticking with me so far!  
_

* * *

Because Ian was there and because they weren't playing a full contact sport (it was two on two badminton), the worst Jesse did was glare at David the whole time. They never came near one another, though. And as far as actually playing, Ian and David wound up being a surprisingly good team considering David assumed Ian's physical prowess would be equivalent to that of a slug. But Ian had proved him wrong. They rotated and played against different pairs, making sure they never crossed paths with Jesse. Things were the strangest, though, when they played against two of the school's cheerleaders - one named Melanie Moat and the other Iris Vanel.

As expected from cheerleaders, they were beautiful girls - Melanie with her petite frame, soft brown eyes, and dirty blond hair tied neatly in a ponytail, and Iris with her light chocolate skin, doe-like brown eyes, and dark hair twisted and curled into a matching ponytail. They both had smiles that could cause even the most stubborn dicks to rise a little and say hello. But while they were playing, David got a strange sense that there was something more than met the eye between Melanie and Ian.

There was a distance between them - a forced distance - and when they weren't careful, David could see a fondness. Ian was pretty good at masking his emotions, only giving himself away when he accidentally hit her in the face with the birdie and apologized with a concern that seemed out of character from what little David knew of him. Melanie was much more overt, though. David caught her staring at Ian more often than not, and not just staring like one would do when they were watching someone serve. It was flirty, coy, and most of all inviting. With a pang of envy and teenage longing, it dawned on David that Melanie and Ian were sleeping together.

All of that envy flew out the window when the class ended, and David saw Jesse stride over to Melanie, hook his arm around her tiny waist and draw her in for a kiss. People may have been looking to David to start something with Jesse earlier, but the real drama was this bizarre relationship triangle that David couldn't wrap his mind around. Jesse was a handsome guy with flawless skin, a dimpled smile, a toned athletic body and not to mention green eyes which would likely drive most girls insane. Sure, he was a douchebag - but maybe that was only to Joshua and himself. There had to be something about him that was likable, otherwise he wouldn't be so popular, right? But then there was Ian who was none of the things Jesse was. Hell, the most appealing part of Ian were his eyes, and that was only when they weren't glassy from the morning's high. Weird taste on Melanie's part, but David couldn't ever claim he understood people.

Choosing not to meddle in that mess, he collected his things and headed for the door. Joshua stood outside with a grin and a wave, and David turned to glance over his shoulder - seeing Ian wasn't far behind. As they walked, Joshua talked the whole time about chemical bonds and experiments he had done in his chem class - proud of himself for being the first to get his project to oxidize. David had no idea what he was talking about, so he feigned interest and gave a few one worded responses. Fortunately, their destination wasn't too far away so they roamed up to the door and stopped. Well, David and Joshua stopped. Ian veered past them into the classroom.

"Hey...so...you want me to meet you after class or something? I don't know how you're getting home, but I thought maybe we could...you know, hang out after school?" Joshua looked down at his books - shy and uncertain. This was clearly the first time he was asking this question to anyone.

"I wish I could, but I'm pretty sure I have to catch the bus home," David couldn't expect to bum a ride off of Anthony again, after all. "Tell you what, though. I can ask my Mom if it's okay, and maybe you can come over and hang out tomorrow. You like videogames, right?"

"Like them? I LOVE them!"

"Awesome. I will most likely see you then," David was sure his Mom wouldn't say no - not if he was having a friend over; a friend who wasn't Matt.

Joshua positively beamed, looking on top of the world, "Yeah! See ya then!"

David felt glad that his mere existence could benefit someone else as much as it did Joshua. He would never know the tormented loner who spent his time organizing and reorganizing his locker. He would never know the kid who usually sat by himself in the same seat every day and let his rituals consume him to a point where they became the only constant in place of actual friends. He would only know Joshua - his crazy friend who sometimes got wrapped up in doing things more than once, and that was okay.

He went into his final class thinking the day hadn't gone nearly as bad as he expected. As a matter of fact, it went well if all his worst case scenario thoughts were anything to compare it to. David hated to think it, because he didn't want to give into his Mom's new life for Matt's sake, but maybe, just maybe, this _was _for the best. He couldn't think of anything in his old life and old school that topped his first day in this new one. And maybe, for once, he could fit in. Not with people who were popular or who would give him status, but with people who were misfits and freaks in their own right. David smiled a little to himself as he joined Ian in the back row, settling down beside him. He happened to think the misfits and freaks of this school were waay cooler than the cool kids anyway.

* * *

The rush to get out of the final class when the bell rang was probably equivalent to a stampede of elephants. People didn't seem to care that they were toppling all over each other and shoving their way to the narrow door; they just wanted out. David found the lesson boring, but come on. It wasn't _that_ bad that they needed to run. He slowly packed his belongings and turned toward Ian who had finally lifted his head from the table, rubbing the sleep away from his bleary eyes.

"Is it over?" He mumbled, groggy.

"Yeah. It is," David rose to his feet. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow - if you come to class and all."

Ian mirrored David, rising slowly and stretching out his arms, "You want a ride home? I gotta stop somewhere real quick, but I can take you."

David was surprised Ian had a car, and even more surprised he was offering to give him a ride in it. But who was he to look a gift horse in the mouth? The longer he could evade the bus, the better. "Yeah, sure. If you don't mind..."

Ian fumbled in his pocket to remove his keys and led the way - obviously not minding. David could imagine how this ride was going to go - silent with only the music from the radio blaring between them. Well, that was fine. It was easier. He didn't have to put in the effort to talk that way. Ian made it easy, not really giving him anything, but not really expecting anything in return.

David made sure he wasn't forgetting anything before he trailed along behind Ian. They passed through the crowd, David weaving around people to evade bumping into them - but Ian seemed like the Moses of the school, parting the crowd as he walked and not budging for anyone. He had a strange sort of power about him - an unspoken respect or fear from the students. David tried to decide whether it was Ian's appearance or maybe just an aura he gave off, but whatever it was, it was impressive. Power over the students _and_ fooling around with Jesse's cheerleader girlfriend - what other secrets did this guy have?

They reached the parking lot, and Ian stopped outside of a dark blue Toyota. When Ian said he had a car, David expected something just like Anthony's if not worse, so it was surprising to see the guy drove something that actually looked decent. The paint job was pristine, the vehicle maintained a luster it could only pull off if it was well taken care of, and the interior - although there was a little bit of clutter in the back, mostly jackets and blankets - was vacuumed and clean. This was yet another way Ian surprised him.

David climbed in, and they pulled out of the parking lot with a squeal of tires and a trail of smoke and dust behind them. Ian glanced over at David and for the very first time, a grin broke free on his face. The look was shocking and seemed foreign on those typically stoic features. Yet David felt honored to see it - like he was beholding a rare phenomena. He grinned back and clipped his seatbelt into place because he was pretty sure this was going to be an interesting ride.

He told Ian where he lived and asked if he knew the place because he couldn't help him otherwise. Fortunately for David, his chauffeur knew approximately where they were going, so that was enough for him to sit back and enjoy the double bass pounding and the shredding of guitars as they blared through the speakers - a befitting soundtrack to their fast paced drive.

They pulled an abandoned shopping center that was closed for renovations. Ian spun them around the empty lot and into a space - perfectly between the lines, no less. It was the type of stunt you saw in a car commercial or a movie or something. David was impressed. Ian, however, acted like it was no big deal and threw the vehicle in park, leaving it running as he got out, "I'll be right back. The iPod's in the console. You can mess around with it if you get bored."

David nodded and watched Ian retreat. With nothing else to do, he opened the center console and paused when he caught sight of all the various items in there. Little bags of measured powders, pills, and syringes blocked the path to the MP3 player. He traced his fingers along them curiously, feeling a strange thrill at being so close to these illegal substances - wondering what each did and if they were for Ian or someone else.

He pried his attention away, closing the console and sealing them from view so he could pretend they didn't exist and he hadn't stolen a peek into Ian's secret life. Obviously Ian didn't care if he gave David permission to go in there, but there was a part of him that wanted to respect his new friend's privacy. Friend? No. More like acquaintance. He looked up to see where his driver had gone - spotting him standing at a black car that had just arrived. He squinted to get a better look and saw it was none other than Melanie.

David found himself unable to look away from the scene. The way Ian handed her something and took something all at once, pocketing it - like a magician's sleight of hand, discreet to most who weren't paying attention. He saw them talk and saw the smile on her face, and then he saw Melanie reach out to pull Ian down in a kiss. It was at that point he looked away - not sure why he could watch the entire drug exchange with no issue but the kiss was too much. He drummed his hands on his jeans in time with the music's beat, and it wasn't too long before Ian returned, climbing back into the car.

"Alright, so, your place..."

David looked up and with a faint hint of amusement, said, "You have lipstick on your face, dude."

Ian reached up with one hand, swiping it across his mouth and looking down at the remnants of pink on his skin before he put his focus on peeling out and merging back into traffic.

"What's going on between you two anyway?" David couldn't help his curiosity. Hey, he was already in so far - might as well dive all the way down to get the full details.

Ian shrugged, "Nothing, really."

"I wouldn't call making out at her car while she's got a boyfriend nothing. Dude, I can tell you're boning her. So is that a serious thing or what?"

"No. Sometimes she doesn't have the cash to pay for her shit, so she'll give me little I.O.U's."

"Sounds more like _I. Blow. You's_," David joked - and was surprised when he earned a laugh from Ian. Yes! He was breaking through. "Aren't you worried Jesse's gonna find out, though?"

Ian shrugged again, "Not really. You've seen what a dick he is."

"Yeah, but..." David trailed off, unsure of what to say or who to defend. It was true Jesse was a dick, but did he really deserve a girl who would cheat on him? And what if it all came back around to Ian in the end? Could Ian take that guy in a fight? Actually, it was highly unlikely Jesse would go into battle alone without his cronies - so Ian would definitely be outnumbered. David's lips set together and he shook his head, focusing on the fact that they were nearing his house. "It's this driveway up here to the left."

Ian nodded and pulled into the oversized driveway that led up the steep hill. When they reached the top, David saw Anthony's car was parked to the side - a rusty, out of place centerpiece against an overpriced backdrop. David turned to Ian and smiled, "Well, man. Thanks for the ride..."

He waved it off, "No biggie. I can give you one anytime..."

David nodded, stared at Ian and wanted to say something else, but he wasn't sure what. His lips set together and he slowly unclipped his seatbelt, climbing out of the car. He was just about to close the door, when he stopped himself short, an impulse coming over him, "Do you wanna come in? I have drinks. I could get you a drink. We could..." he bit his lip awkwardly, feeling like Joshua. "...hang out. For a bit. If you want."

Ian stared at him with that unnerving blank stare of his, and David was pretty sure he was going to decline. So it was very surprising when he twisted the key to shut off the engine and nodded once, "Okay."

A relieved smile crossed his face, "Great. Awesome. Let's go." He marched ahead and up the stone steps, coming to a pause to glance over his shoulder. "I hope you like videogames."

There was no response, but David didn't need one. He was sure they could find something to do, even if they wound up just hanging out and talking. He didn't want his time with Ian to end so soon - not when he was slowly chipping away at the enigma and finding the little pieces to the otherwise mysterious whole so fascinating. David didn't know enough about Ian to even know what to think about him, so he hoped by the end of tonight, he'd have some conclusion.

He reached in his pocket and took out his house key, fitting it into the lock and opening the door. David stepped inside and gestured for Ian to follow. The living area was vacant, devoid of most of the life that had been there the past few days which made the house bizarrely more inviting. He had been about to announce he was home so Kalel knew, but the shrill echo of moans and shrieks through the otherwise empty house were more than enough to let him know she was preoccupied. David looked over at Ian and shrugged, leading the way to his room. Geesh, why was he suddenly surrounded by so many people who were getting laid? The closest he came was seeing the impromptu strip tease a few nights ago, and that wasn't sexy on his behalf. It was just creepy.

"Sorry about the boxes," David said as they reached his room. "I'm still in the process of unpacking. All my gaming systems are out, though, so if you wanna - what are you doing...?"

Ian made himself comfortable on David's bed, unzipping his backpack and removing a long box along with a little bag full of a greenish brown substance. He glanced up at David's question, "I'm gonna take a couple hits, if that's cool."

David stared at him, bewildered. Was it cool? Well, yeah it was cool. But it wasn't _cool_ if he got caught doing it. But what if he told him no? Would that ruin the friendship he was working on building? Would that suddenly make him uncool in Ian's eyes? David gnawed on his lip, "Um, no. I mean...yeah, sure. Do whatever. It's cool." He hurried to the door and clicked the lock into place. It was the least he could do to protect himself.

He watched as Ian removed the bong, feeling as though he was watching a movie considering that was the closest he had ever come to seeing one of these things in real life. Ian worked with an expertise that came from experience, methodically filling the contraption with water from a bottle, grinding down a few of the herbs, and stuffing them into the detachable bowl. David couldn't believe he was about to bear witness to this, and part of him wanted to look away - but most of him was fascinated.

When Ian lit up, the smoke filtered through the device rapidly and he sucked it up into his lungs. He rapidly moved away from the glass surface, held the smoke for roughly a minute before expelling it into the air - filling the room with a very distinct stench. David frowned a bit, going over to his window and pulling the broken screen from it with ease. There was a nagging worry in the back of his mind that his Mom would come home at any second and barge in, even though realistically he knew she wouldn't be home for at least three hours and Kenichi, much later. Still, he was always and forever the guy who would worry about getting in trouble. It always pissed Matt off, how much of a pussy David was.

He waved the smoke out the window with the bent screen, but dropped it suddenly with a startled jump as Ian's slightly strained voice rose up, "You wanna try?"

David's eyes widened, deer in the headlights fear, as he met Ian's gaze and saw the offered bong. This was like something out of his worst nightmare - something you would see on those anti-drug campaigns where the one teen peer pressured the other teen into it. Ian was hardly pressuring him, though. He was offering. It was just that David didn't want to let him down and say 'no.' Oddly enough, this reminded him of the night Matt lit up a cigarette in his bedroom and offered him one. Same scenario, different guy, but all the same he could almost hear Matt's voice urging in his ear: _Do it, you pansy._

His heart pounded in his chest and he nodded meekly, approaching the bed with wooden steps and coming to settle beside Ian. David brought his hand to his lips, biting the dead, dry skin off his thumb beside his nail - watching with unblinking eyes at Ian prepared everything again, but this time for him.

"I'll take care of all the work. You just inhale when I say the word and stop when I tell you to. Sit back and enjoy." Ian seemed so relaxed and reassuring - like a doctor telling a patient everything would be okay right before they were planning to amputate their leg.

David wasn't so certain, but he nodded regardless - placing his lips against the glass opening with his mind and anxiety still screaming it wasn't too late to back out now. What if he OD'd? Could you OD on marijuana? What if he was the first? Still, he remained in place as Ian touched the lighter to the bowl, fire in the hole, and gave him the sign to inhale. He breathed deep and then ripped himself away almost immediately, coughing and sputtering from the burning sensation in his lungs. Ian branched off into a laugh, and David might have found it funny too if he wasn't too busy hacking out a lung. When the sputtering died a little, Ian offered David his water bottle which David took gratefully, drawing in a sip to soothe his sore throat and moisten his dry mouth.

During this time, Ian took yet another hit and offered it over to David once again for a second chance. Feeling nothing from his first try, though why he expected to have a reaction immediately when he was no stranger to anxiety medications and how long they took to kick in was anyone's guess, David figured he must not have really inhaled anything so he agreed to give it another go. They repeated the same steps with Ian leading the way, and although David was able to take in a bit more and hold it a fraction of a second longer, he still dissolved into coughs.

It wasn't so bad, he realized. Apart from hacking his brains out, David felt no different, really. He wasn't sure what he had been afraid of from the get-go. He watched as Ian prepared his final hit, admired the way his nimble fingers moved...and then all at once, everything slowed down...


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's Notes: ...again. Not condoning drug use, lol. But I will say that this chapter was one of the most fun things I've ever written. Also, I'm back to work now, sadly, so updates will be much slower. :(_

* * *

When David's back hit the bed, he was amazed at how the world seemed to be standing still and moving all at once. Time had no meaning - it got lost in translation and David felt as though he was sinking (or floating) - _drifting_ - into some strange state of semi-conscious being. The world became one in which nothing mattered or made sense, where anxiety didn't exist, where _he _didn't exist. He started to laugh for no apparent reason other than it seemed like an appropriate thing to do at the time. The only thing David knew for sure was that he wasn't alone - there was someone else with him, someone else laying beside him and laughing too.

"I can feel it, you know..." David turned his head sluggishly, meeting Ian's eyes. He lifted his hand and swirled it around; his fingertips seemed to lag in comparison to the rest of his arm. "The earth moving. We're spinning around and around, always spinning and never stopping. You feel it too, right?"

"Yeah, I feel it too." He agreed, his eyes heavy lidded.

"I'm fucked up," David laughed. "Who am I kidding? I was fucked up waay before this." He laughed even harder. "We're all just fuck ups pretending not to be fucked up. I forgot to take my BuSpar...woops!"

When David went to sit up, Ian reached over and dragged him back down. He hit the mattress quick, but he only felt it five seconds later. His entire sense of touch was out of sync with the rest of his body. They laid there in silence, and David heard Ian's voice - hollow and distorted, saying words that weren't actually words. What were words anyway? Just meaningless sounds. His eyes lingered on Ian's lips, moving and expanding - showing his teeth before his tongue would poke through and his lips would purse around it. Is that what everyone looked like when they talked?

David wanted to say something back to Ian, but he forgot how. He leaned in closer to get a better look at his mouth - lips, teeth, tongue. He tried to follow the movement with his eyes, but it was too hard to focus. So David thought maybe he could follow the movement better if he put his mouth on Ian's and mimicked it. And that was what he did - lips meeting and joining. But as soon as their mouths touched, there was no movement. His follow the leader tactic failed, and he lingered where he was because he could feel each and every one of Ian's beard hairs prickling his chin. He could count them if he wanted. Counting to infinity wouldn't take long at all.

Wait a second, was this his first kiss? David's eyes had remained open the entire time, focusing on everything apart from Ian's eyes, so he looked up into them - deep blue with black hole centers, swallowing up everything in their path. Ian was looking back at him and then canted his head to make it a real kiss. David's body sparked to life as he lost his mouth virginity and his pants constricted at the center, becoming tight and uncomfortable. The kiss grew deeper, Ian taking full charge and David arching and grinding against him with a desperate need to do something, to get somewhere - to get off. To get up and call Matt.

David broke the kiss at the sudden realization of what he needed to do - what he was compelled to do, "I gotta call my brother..." he declared, getting up and going flaccid. "Matt needs to know. If I die here, I gotta tell him so he can come take over."

Ian watched David like a lazy cat, "Come take over what?"

He paused in his search for a phone, looking at Ian in confusion. "I don't know. Everything. My spanish homework. I forgot how to speak Spanish." His eyes widened and he looked back at Ian, completely serious. "I forgot how to speak!"

"You're speaking just fine so come back over here and lay down."

"Are you sure? Maybe you forgot too so you're thinking I'm talking, but I'm really not talking and everything is just a figment of your imagination. I'm not even real..."

"We're both real, so come back over here. Back over here to reality," Ian patted the bed invitingly.

David considered, taking a slow step forward before shaking his head. "I need to call Matt. Can I use your phone?"

"Poof. There goes my boner," Ian made a mock explosion with his hand before reaching into his pocket for his phone and handing it off.

David accepted it gratefully and then held it up to his face - close and then far away, then somewhere in the middle. He squinted, trying to narrow in his focus on the object and remember how to use it in the first place. Somehow or another, he managed to get to the keypad and dial the number, and how he even remembered the number was beyond him. David held it up to his ear and waited as it rang. Once. Twice. Then a groggy answer.

"Hello?"

"Matt? Matt..._Matt!_" David was overwhelmed with joy. His eyes watered and he felt elated just hearing his brother's voice. "Matt, listen to me. Listen and don't hang up. I need you to listen carefully because these may be my last words..."

"...I'm listening," his tone was a mix between annoyed, uncertain and concerned.

"I love you. You're my brother. I didn't mean to be a dick. You hurt me so I hurt you. It's how the world goes around. How we all experience pain equally because..._because _Isaac Newton. He said it, didn't he?"

"Um...err...yeah? I guess? If you're talking about that every reaction, opposite equal reaction bullshit. Are you okay, man?"

David burst into a laugh, getting up and moving toward his wall where he hung his dry erase board, "I'm high as _fuck._"

"You're high? _You_? You've got to be kidding me..."

"But don't worry. I've figured it out..." he uncapped one of his markers, dropping the top of it to the floor carelessly before he started drawing random equations that didn't make sense and yet made perfect sense in his mind. "It starts off like a parabola...and if you take x versus y, they combine to make Z. And Z represents me and my life before..."

Ian had found David's remote, turning on the tv. In another display of overt riches, Kenichi pretty much had every channel imaginable. If you went high enough, there were even channels that weren't channels at all, but more like a radio station with pictures and facts about each band on display while the music played. Ian settled on a soothing, classic rock station before dropping the remote while David continued to do his equation to figure out the meaning of life.

"In the end, we become L's, man. And it's beautiful. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing..." David smiled, enlightened by his own self realization.

"You're not making any sense," Matt deadpanned.

"You forgive me though, right? The equation said if I gave you a few days, forgiveness is imminent..."

"Um, yeah. I forgive you."

"Good. Come over. I miss you. I have to tell you about this guy I met who I kind of made out with."

"Guy you made out with...? I don't even wanna know. And I don't even know where you live..."

"I don't either, but that's okay. We'll figure it out together..." And then David let the phone slip from his hands, hitting the carpet. He barely heard Matt's question as to whether he was still there or not, but he was so far gone it didn't matter. Ian glanced up, motioning for David to come lay down and David obeyed, crawling onto the bed and settling beside him.

With the distant and psychedelic melody of Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven playing in the background, David became magnetically drawn to Ian and they both made out on his bed.

* * *

As David came down off his high, he didn't come crashing as one might expect. No, it seemed to be a slow and pleasant process. He might compare it to opening a parachute and drifting to the ground. The only problem was landing properly, but fortunately David didn't have to worry about landing just yet. At two hours in he was still high above ground; his vision was still slightly blurred but reality was slowly returning. Awareness that his lips were currently on another man's spread throughout him - as though he was waking up from a dream. A weird, homoerotic dream.

David's eyes opened and he looked at Ian before he tapered off from the kiss, licking his swollen lips and tasting someone other than himself there. The strangest part of all was that it had felt good to kiss him. Had he been so desperate for physical contact that he would even take kissing another guy? Or did it even matter? Girl, guy, and in between...people were people and all the same, so did that mean all kisses were created equal?

He was definitely still high.

"My Mom's gonna be home soon, so you should probably go. I need to clean up," David sat up slowly, looking around the room as though seeing it again for the first time. Everything had been so different a few seconds ago. The walls did still stretch and elongate if he looked at them long enough, but otherwise it was normal.

Ian was obviously disappointed to be left hanging, but he seemed to respect David's wishes, "Alright, man."

"Fuck. I'm still really fucked up," David blinked, rubbing his eyes a few times. What if his Mom knew just by looking at him? Were his eyes as glassy as Ian's?

"Eat something. It'll help..." Ian got up, collecting his bag and then his phone from the floor where David left it.

"Yeah. Of course," it made perfect sense. Why hadn't he thought of it? Why hadn't it factored into his equation? David looked toward the board to figure out if he forgot to carry the two or something. But he came back to reality when he looked at Ian again, remembering something belatedly. "Joshua might come by tomorrow. If you wanna hang with us. We're gonna play videogames."

"Maybe," Ian's answer was noncommittal.

"I guess you might be busy. Melanie might need to pay you her 'I. Blow. You,' right?" David scratched the side of his chin before stumbling forward, not sure what was compelling him. He reached out to take Ian's shirt collar and drag him down a few inches in order to kiss him again. It was brief because he was consciously aware of it, his state of shyness returning. His eyes flickered to the side to evade Ian's stare. "I'm pretty sure I make out better than she does, though. If that's incentive."

Ian didn't respond, but there was a faintly amused smirk on his lips.

David looked up and returned the smirk with one of his own. "I'll walk you out."

He unlocked the door and opened it up, waiting for Ian to step out before he closed it behind them - not wanting to chance the aroma of stale smoke seeping into the hall. David wandered down the steps beside Ian, and they made their way to the main entrance where Kalel and Anthony were already standing with sex hair and rumpled clothes, giving each other a proper goodbye makeout. The pair turned quickly as Ian and David approached, obviously not used to the fact that they would no longer be completely alone at this time of day. But even though Kalel was elated to see it was just David, something twisted on Anthony's face - rage. David arched his brow, wondering (but not really caring) what he might have done to elicit the reaction until he realized he wasn't the recipient.

"What the fuck are you doing here?!" Anthony scowled when he saw Ian, lunging forward only to be stopped by Kalel's arms - and barely at that. He practically dragged her forward as he approached. "I never wanted to see your face again outside of school!"

Ian maintained his calm as could be expected from the school Moses. "Chill out, Anthony. I got my invite from David here. I'm not following you. I'm not even here to mock you, even though that was a very impressive ten seconds we heard earlier."

Anthony bared his teeth and broke free from Kalel, slamming his fist into Ian's face. She shrieked, David watched, and Ian laughed while he bled. It wasn't a good humored laugh, though. There was something cruel and mocking about it. This angered Anthony more, but David took control of his senses enough to step in and shove Anthony away.

"Cut the shit! I don't know what's going on between you two. Quite frankly, I don't care. But blood's not an easy mess to clean, so stop making it!"

Anthony glared at David, then past him at Ian, and then he fixed his disheveled jacket, "I'm getting the fuck outta here." He announced and threw open the door, stomping out and slamming it behind himself.

"Anthony, wait!" Kalel tossed on her shoes quickly and then scurried after him.

This left David and Ian alone, David glancing up at Ian in question, but Ian evading the topic with a dismissive wave of his hand, "See you tomorrow, man."

"Yeah..." David mumbled uncertainly. "Bye..."

He moved to the door, watching Anthony peel out of the drive before Ian was even in view, thankfully. But he also saw Kalel yell some obscenities Ian's way and slap him when he got close enough. She stormed up the steps and blew past David, rearing on him once she was inside.

"I can't _believe _you had that guy over here! What's wrong with you?! Don't you know he's the last person you should be hanging out with?"

"Um...no? New guy, remember? What's wrong with him, anyway? He seemed alright," David's mouth still tingled from where Ian had been.

"Alright? _Alright?_" She shrieked. "He's a drug addict and a dealer. A thief and a liar!"

It was probably the lingering effects of the high that made David quick to retort, "Yeah, but he's a good kisser."

Kalel stared at him, trying to gauge how serious he was. Then her face twisted in disgust, "_Ew._"

That ended the conversation. She stalked back up the stairs, and David was left reeling from an experience that seemed even more surreal than half of what happened during his high. Something serious must have gone down between Ian and Anthony in order to spark that big of a reaction, but the best part was David didn't worry about it. For once, he didn't even care. Everything seemed so under control in his life for the first time that he was just calm. And it felt so liberating.


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Notes: So this is an extremely long chapter in which I feel I didn't accomplish anything, lol. Hopefully you guys feel differently, though! Umm warnings, warnings...just a little bit more pot smoking in this one, but otherwise it's tame. Happy New Years, guys! Hope you had a good one and you're not nursing hangovers. :)_

* * *

When David woke up the next morning, he felt extremely groggy and fuzzy-headed. He wanted to take his screaming alarm, throw it across the room, and go back to sleep - but his Mom was the backup alarm, gently opening the door and reminding him to get up for school. He supposed he could have faked sickness with convincing realism, but after dodging the bullet and not getting caught the night before, David didn't want to risk his Mom finding out what he had done. It took a whole bottle of Febreeze, a large bag of potato chips, and some eye drops to cover the evidence, but they had done the trick and his Mom seemed oblivious. He needed it to stay that way. So with a great deal of reluctance, he rolled out of bed and wandered over to pick out some clothes.

After the whole fiasco with Anthony and Ian last night, Kalel had been acting strange toward David. At first he hadn't cared, but now that he was back to some semblance of normalcy - it bothered him that she was taking her grudge out on him. How was he supposed to know Ian and Anthony had bad blood between them? And why was he being punished for it? What business was it of theirs to get between whatever happened between those two? This was why he didn't do well with people. They never made any sense.

He headed downstairs to see his Mom in the kitchen, nursing a cup of tea. She greeted him with a smile, told him his lunch was on the counter, and told him to have a good day. It was the one routine that hadn't changed between the old house and this new one, and David was grateful to her for that. He confirmed that Joshua would probably be coming over and then headed out a little early. After what happened yesterday, David highly doubted Anthony would want to give him a ride to school so he needed the time to hike down the stupidly long driveway and catch the bus.

David stooped down to tie his shoes when he heard a car horn. Assuming it was Anthony, he didn't rush what he was doing - but when he heard the horn again and saw no sign of Kalel, he peered out the window. Much to his surprise, Ian's blue Toyota sat there idling in the driveway. He nearly tripped over himself as he rushed out the door, making his way to the vehicle.

"What're you doing here?" David asked, bewildered.

Ian shrugged, "Figured I'd pop in and see if you needed a lift."

"It's like my fairy godmother granted my wish to not take the bus. You're not gonna turn into a pumpkin, are you?" He tossed his bag in the backseat and then climbed in.

"A pumpkin? No. Maybe an apple, though," he backed them out and onto the road, starting on the path to school.

"Apples are better anyway," David smirked. "I seriously didn't expect you to show up, though. I actually didn't think you even did mornings..."

Ian cracked the window before he pulled out a cigarette, lighting it up, "I don't do mornings. But it's not morning until I actually go to bed."

"And what better time to do that than during class, huh?"

"Exactly."

David smiled and took in the sight of Ian. It was strange, but he was a bit enamored by him. Ever since he met Ian, there was something about him that drew David's interest. The more he got to know him, the more he almost wished he _was_ him. Ian had this strange appeal because he was the epitome of a guy who didn't care what people thought about him. He could be rude, funny, high, or a complete dick - and he never stopped to dwell on how his actions would hurt or affect anyone else. Ian did things for himself without all the worries and concerns and paranoias that plagued David, and that was definitely an enviable thing.

And even still, his thoughts drifted back to yesterday afternoon. As much as David expected to forget everything, he didn't. He remembered most of what he felt (and DIDN'T feel) as well as what transpired between him and Ian. David's first kiss. It probably wasn't that big of a deal to Ian because he'd probably had many kisses before, but David felt a small connection to Ian because of it - a little tingling thrill in the pit of his stomach that almost desired to find out what it felt like to kiss him sober. It was weird to even entertain the thought, though, because up until this point, David had been so sure of his sexuality. It was the one and only thing in his life he felt certain in - and now all of that flew out the window just like Ian's spent cigarette.

David leaned back against the seat, listening to the soothing sounds of heavy metal, "How's your face?"

"From Anthony's punch? Not even a bruise. He hits like a girl."

David turned to see the validity of Ian'sclaim. It was true that there wasn't a bruise, but there was a cut and he could tell the area was slightly swollen and tender. It would definitely be bruised the following day. "What happened between you two?"

Ian's lips set together and he ejected the current CD, popping another one in its place. "Not important."

"He hit you, though. So he apparently thinks it was."

"It was shit that happened two years ago. He needs to stop living in the past and get the fuck over it," Ian grunted with finality. He wasn't going to be saying anything more on the topic.

It made David even more curious. But unless Ian decided to open up all of a sudden, he doubted he would find out the answer any time soon. Kalel didn't seem to be very forthcoming with the details either and seemed pissed he was even associating with Ian. The only other party with information was Anthony - but David wasn't going to go up to him and ask. He didn't feel like getting punched in the face, too.

"I had a good time yesterday, you know," David opted to change the topic to a much lighter one, hoping to get a smile from Ian or at least a small smirk.

Ian spared him a brief glance, the corner of his lips slipping upward, "You seemed like you did."

"I still feel a little weird, though. Not horrible. I mean, I've felt worse after taking Xanax than I do now," David fidgeted. "I thought maybe...we could do it again sometime?"

"Funny you should say that," Ian pulled into the school parking lot at that point, finding a space in the back. He shut off the car before reaching across David's lap to get to the glove box. Ian withdrew a small tin, opening it up to reveal a joint. "I always love to start my day with a morning toke."

"That would explain a lot," David laughed uneasily.

His heart thumped when he caught sight of the weed. He might have been open to trying it again after what a powerful, mindblowing experience it had been, but he wasn't so sure he wanted to do it right before school. What would happen if the teachers found out? Could he trust in his ability to act normal while high? But at the same time, David had felt amazing - his anxieties had been so far away and he wondered how school would be if he didn't have a single care in the world. Maybe one hit wouldn't be so bad.

David didn't give himself much of a chance to think, knowing he would likely talk himself out of it if he did. When Ian lit up, took a drag, and passed it over, David accepted it, pressed it against his lips and inhaled. He coughed, of course. The smoke was much harsher than it had been from the bong, but he was sure one of these damn times he would get used to it.

He might have only planned to take one hit, but by the end of it, he had taken three. Ian finished it off, flashing a lazy smile over at David, "You're gonna see school's much better this way."

David rubbed his face with his hands, "Or I'm gonna find myself with detention. I'm pretty sure you're a bad influence."

The corner of Ian's mouth twitched into a grin, "Nah, man. I got you to school. I got you relaxed. You were so fucking uptight yesterday. I'm doing good here. It's not like I'm suggesting we skip class and fuck in my car or anything, but if you wanna I'm not gonna say no..." Ian looked over at David and then burst into laughter when he saw the shock on his face. "Joking."

"Asshole," David shook his head in amusement, tracing his tongue over his dry lips. "Not entirely opposed to the idea, though...for the record." He began to feel free, stripped of his typical reservations which made talking about them easier. The make out session had been the elephant in the car - something they avoided addressing but lingered there all the same.

"You did say you were sure you could makeout better than Mel. I might wanna take you up on that offer..."

David lolled his head toward Ian, staring at him with longing. Yes, he wanted to be kissed again. He wanted to feel what it as like to be touched and teased by someone else. Ian was the perfect person for this! He didn't know what it was about Ian that made him the best candidate, but now that he decided it, he couldn't get it out of his head. At least...he couldn't get it out of his head for the two seconds it was there. After that, it was gone and laughter burst from his lips. He felt great. He felt so great he didn't want to move from this spot ever again.

Ian laughed too as though laughter was contagious, "C'mon. Let's get you to class."

David watched as Ian got out of the car, following him with his eyes until he reached his side of the vehicle and opened the door for him like a perfect gentleman. Reluctantly, David gave in and left the cozy seat, and together they moved in slow motion toward the school. David struggled to remember once again where his classroom was. The only difference was, this time, he didn't care.

* * *

Joshua may have only known David for a day, but he could tell something was off with him when he got to class. He kept asking if he was alright, and with a faraway grin, David replied he was fine. Fine was an understatement, though. He was great, amazing and everything in between. He found English more fascinating than he ever had before and pondered how language came to be - but he did come close to getting in trouble when he burst into laughter after reading a passage with the word 'exacerbate.' Fortunately, the teacher chalked it up to teenage immaturity and left it at a single warning.

By the time he got to Spanish class, his high was coming down. He didn't make eye contact with Anthony, and as far as he could tell Anthony hadn't looked at him either. David didn't necessarily have anything against him, but if he had to pick a side, he would pick Ian's for no good reason other than having an established connection to him; a slowly building loyalty to the guy who had given him so many firsts.

It was amazing to him how he had only just started this school, but he already had more action than he'd ever seen in his old one. Ian seemed to be his ticket to a more interesting and better life - and that meant David got to be the catalyst to giving Joshua a more interesting and better life. It was like the food chain or the hierarchy of life. It gave David something more than just simply Matt. He had a purpose now - a role to play. He couldn't wait to meet up with his brother and tell him about everything. Their conversation would be more than Matt's one-sided tales of awesome adventures.

Class ended and David collected his things - ending it the same way he began, by not looking at Anthony. He decided to stop by his locker before hitting up the bathroom. Joshua could hold the fort for a little while. David was sure Jesse wouldn't be messing with him after yesterday. He shouldered his bag and headed toward the urinal, unzipping his pants and starting to relieve his bladder. In the middle of this, though, David felt the presence of two other people surrounding him. He glanced up briefly before an inner dread hit the pit of his stomach. It was Jesse and his friends.

"What do you want?" David cut straight to the chase, knowing this was no coincidence. He shook to dry and then tucked himself back in, zipping up.

"To do my business just like you, man," Jesse made an exaggerated gesture toward the urinal.

"And you guys all go as a team? I don't think so," David rolled his eyes and headed for the sink, dipping his hands beneath the luke warm water - all the while, he watched the mirror for the group. This felt like one of those after school specials where the bullies cornered their target in the bathroom. He waited for the cliché bully lines to start rolling.

Jesse came into view first, "Look. David, right?" He sidled next to him and waited for a confirmation. David nodded his head once. "David - I think we got off on the wrong foot. We're really not the douchebags you think we are. It's just that, well, Joshua Ovenshire's a freak. Associating with him is like..."

"Social suicide," chimed one of the friends.

"Thanks, JJ. Social suicide. You're new, of course, so you wouldn't know," Jesse shook his hands to dry them off. "I mean, I'll admit I was pretty pissed off you came at me yesterday like that, but after thinking about it - me and the guys realized that from your point of view, we were the dicks. So how about you come sit with us today to make up for it?"

David was confused, expecting this to be a trick - expecting them to turn on him at any moment, "Sorry, I-"

"Just for today, bro," JJ urged.

"Then you can decide for yourself who you'd rather hang out with," the other friend stepped into the conversation.

"I really don-" David began again and was cut off.

"I'm not gonna let you say no," Jesse grinned his charming grin. He slipped an arm around David's shoulders and guided him toward the door. "Now since we never did have a proper introduction - I'm Jesse Haegler. That's John Jameson, but we call him JJ. And that's Blake O'Riley." He gestured to each of the boys as he introduced them.

"Hey," said JJ.

"Sup?" said Blake.

"David Moss," he answered uncertainly, allowing himself to be dragged toward the cafeteria.

"Got any nicknames? Should we call you Dave?" Jesse canted his head.

"Just David," he hated being called 'Dave.' It sounded so...NASCAR.

"David it is," Jesse grinned. "I probably shouldn't say anything...but you know that girl Iris?"

He struggled to recall. So much had happened yesterday that it was an overwhelming blur. It sounded familiar, though. "...I remember the name."

"Hot black girl. Melanie's friend. You and Ian played them in Badminton yesterday..."

Jesse's words jogged David's memory. "Oh yeah! What about her?"

JJ smirked, coming up to David's other side and nudging him with his elbow, "She thinks you're cute."

Blake seemed a hundred times less pleased about this, but joined in the conversation anyway, "She was telling Melanie yesterday..."

The first thing David thought of when he thought of Melanie was Ian - them kissing at Ian's car and then later David proclaiming he would be able to make out with Ian better than Melanie could. He wondered if Jesse knew she had a drug habit of some sort or if he suspected she was sleeping around on him. Having this knowledge and being in close proximity to the guy made David uncomfortable. He eased out from beneath Jesse's arm when they finally entered the cafeteria.

The three guys continued to talk about Iris, but David lost interest. His eyes sought out Joshua's seat and sure enough, Joshua was there alone - scanning the crowd in search of David. Finally, they made eye contact and Joshua's face brightened. He waved him over enthusiastically, but the enthusiasm faded when he noticed who he was with. Joshua's hand dropped against his side and he stared on in shock, surprise, and then devastation - quickly turning away from the scene. David grit his teeth, stepping away from the group on impulse. He knew he didn't belong with them, so why was he even entertaining this notion?

Jesse grasped his shoulder, though, and reeled him back in, "I can talk to her for you if you want..."

"I don't..." David began and then looked toward where they were going, noticing Ian first. He sat beside Melanie, talking to her about something. An indescribable emotion came over him. Was it jealousy? It felt a little bit like jealousy, but that was stupid. Obviously there was nothing to be jealous over. David gave up his struggle to get away and spoke the thought aloud to himself, "I don't care."

"Great!" Jesse mistook his words. "Let's see if we can get a double date going for the weekend..."

David was too exhausted to correct himself. He just wanted to get this over and done with. Joshua was supposed to be coming to his house later, so he could clear up the misunderstanding then. For now, he figured he could put his time in here, tell the guys they didn't have anything in common, and go back to life as normal in the morning. When they approached the table, his eyes met Ian's and he could tell Ian was questioning him as to what the fuck he was doing. David shrugged because truth be told, he didn't know either.

"Alright. Beat it, Hecox," Jesse ushered him away, leaning in to kiss Melanie. "I don't know why you humor that guy. You're too nice for your own good, Mel."

"You could stand to be a little nicer to people yourself, Jess," she responded with a smile before glancing over at David. "Oh. I see you're starting off on the right path. Hey, David, right? Ian was just saying what a cool guy you are."

David looked up at Ian's retreating form, watching as he headed over to join Joshua. He felt a pang of longing and wanted to be there too. "He's pretty cool himself..."

"No way, man. Joshua might be a loser, but Ian? He's junkie scum. You won't get anything good outta hanging out with him," Blake shook his head in protest.

"You know how they do those senior superlatives?" JJ leaned in with a smirk. "Well, we had a Facebook vote with all the negative ones that aren't gonna make it to the yearbook. 'Least Likely to Succeed', 'Most Likely to Wind up Dead in a Ditch' etcetc. I swear Ian won like ninety percent of them."

"Ian used to be real popular a few years ago," Jesse commented idly. "I remember hanging out with him in ninth grade. He was one of the funniest, most talented guys you'd ever meet."

Suddenly, Jesse had all of David's attention. Maybe this would give him insight into what happened between Ian and Anthony. "What happened?"

Jesse had been about to answer when there was a sudden intrusion. Iris wedged her way between David and Blake, setting her tray down on the table, "David? Oh my god, hi! I didn't know you were sitting with us today..." she gave Melanie a glare as though Melanie should have warned her, but she preened herself as she sat down. "You played a good game of badminton yesterday, you know."

"Um...thanks..." David's attention returned to Jesse expectantly, but Jesse had been distracted away from the topic.

"I was actually thinking this Saturday, maybe the four of us could go out bowling," Jesse looked between Melanie, Iris, and David.

Melanie and David said: "I can't!" at the same time as Iris said: "I'd love to!"

An awkward silence fell over them and Melanie was the first to break it, "My cousin's coming to town for the weekend, so I gotta spend time with her."

"Yeah...I'm..." David tried to think up an excuse. "I gotta go back to my old house and get the rest of the stuff we packed up."

"Oh!" Iris piped up. "My brother has a truck. If you want, I can get him to let us borrow it and help you out." She scooted a little closer.

David wasn't used to such attention. Was everyone in this school overly flirty and sexual? In his last one, no one would have wanted to touch him - and now, ever since he kissed Ian, it was like he'd broken a barrier between his old, unappealing self and this new self that people actually liked and were attracted to. The weird thing was although his penis jumped at the prospect of getting anywhere close to this really attractive girl, he felt as though Ian had gone there first, and it was with Ian he should continue to go there with. Not that Ian shared that same loyalty considering what he was doing with Melanie, but David couldn't shake the feeling.

"I appreciate it, really...but we have everything covered," he lied smoothly.

The rest of lunch was spent talking. Iris seemed to be flirting, and David didn't know how to respond so he tried to ignore it even though he liked it, but he didn't want to encourage it - which only seemed to have the opposite effect and encourage it even more. Strangely enough, David found Jesse wasn't as bad as he thought. When they got to talking about videogames, it seemed they had very similar tastes - right down to always aiming for the balls in first person shooters. So when Jesse suggested they hang out after school sometime and play, David found himself agreeing without thought.

Kalel and Anthony weren't sitting too far away from them. David glanced up to noticed Anthony looking at him before whispering something to Kalel. She looked over too, then smiled her approval - the first smile he had seen since yesterday morning. Was this his key to getting accepted? Was he on his way to popularity without even trying? David didn't even know how or what was happening, but what he did know was that no matter how good the conversation went, no matter how nice it was to have Iris flirting with him, no matter how _cool _Jesse seemed - something didn't feel right.

As soon as lunch ended, David intended to meet up with Ian and Joshua to go back to the normal routine, but Jesse and Iris insisted he walk with them - and never being one to go against the pressure of the group, David caved and joined them. He didn't like it, though. It was easy to go back and forth with them and talk about things, but he didn't like the thought of Joshua left wondering why his one and only friend was suddenly hanging out with his tormentors.

And then it hit him all at once. How could he have been so stupid? This wasn't about hanging out with him or getting off on the wrong foot. This had all been a backhanded scheme to hurt Joshua - to get him with the one and only thing that had started to matter.

David stopped short and they turned toward him in question. He straightened himself upright and looked Jesse in the eye, "You're the worst kind of scum."

And then he turned on his heel, rushing back to the cafeteria. He had to find Joshua and fix this before it went on for another minute.


	9. Chapter 9

_Author's Notes: Guys, guys! It's Friday! That means Game Bang! That means...me spending the whole time praying to the Iancorn gods to 'PLEASE GIVE ME SOMETHING THIS WEEK.' :( lol I ship them so bad it hurts. But anyway, I just want to take the time to thank everyone who's reading this story so far. Every time I read a comment or even see the story stats, it makes me so happy that people are taking the time out of their day to read and enjoy something I've written. I don't even think I can properly express my gratitude with words, but you guys are my motivation to bust out my laptop and type every day. You get me through a crappy work week and remind me why I even bother to write. So once again. Thank you! xoxo As for warnings in this chapter? You get some poorly written smut. :P Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

The lunch aides were starting to clean up and most of the students had gone, but David thought Joshua might be lingering behind to repeatedly clean his spot if no one was there to stop him (he highly doubted Ian would put in that much effort). When he didn't see him there, he sprang in the opposite direction, knowing there were only one of two places he could be - his locker or his chemistry class. David rushed up the stairs, narrowly evading collisions with other students before he reached Joshua's row of lockers. He was just in time to see Joshua close the door and start walking away. Ian was also there, leaning beside where Joshua had been with his arms folded across his chest and an air of nonchalance lingering about him.

"Josh!" David called out.

Joshua stopped and visibly cringed.

"Leave him alone," Ian spoke up, leveling his gaze on David. "Haven't you done enough?"

David was surprised to hear that coming from Ian - like his crime was any worse than what Ian was doing with Melanie. It wasn't like he did it intentionally! So he snapped back, "No. Shut up! It wasn't what it looked like!" And then he ignored Ian to address his friend. "Josh!"

Joshua slowly looked up and flashed David a sad smile - like a wounded animal whose trust in the world had been shattered. "You don't have to explain. I knew it was too good to be true. That when you got to know me, you'd realize everyone else was right. What can I say?" He scratched the back of his neck with a hopeless laugh. "I'm pathetic. If I had the choice, I wouldn't want to be friends with me either."

"No, goddamnit! Stop self-pitying and listen to me! Those guys cornered me in the bathroom and wanted to call a truce. They told me they just wanted me to sit with them today and that was it. I kept trying to tell them no, but they kept dragging me along with them. Finally I just gave in 'cause I figured it wouldn't be that big of a deal and you and me were gonna hang out after school anyway. But I didn't realize what douchebags they were until now. I was so stupid to think anything coming from them would be genuine, and even stupider to think it wouldn't be that big of a deal to you..." David's voice wavered and his expression saddened. "I told you I'd hold down the fort of this friendship, and I failed. You'd have every right to be pissed at me."

Joshua looked toward Ian for guidance, but Ian shrugged - clearly not going to get involved or take a side. After a short period of silence, during which they were already late for class, his voice rose up - skeptical, "But you were already acting weird before the thing with Jesse."

"That wasn't - that was because..." It was David's turn to look to Ian for guidance. Once again, Ian shrugged. He bit the inside of his lip and although he felt ashamed to confess it, telling the truth would be better than a lie if he wanted Joshua to believe his other truth; the _real_ truth. "I had taken something to get high. It was dumb. I shouldn't have done it before school..."

Surprise was the first emotion Joshua showed, but then relief broke free on his face, "I really thought you were gonna start hanging out with them. That would've been the worst thing - if you became one of _them_."

Joshua's relief broke the dam and flooded over David, washing away his worries. He was glad Joshua didn't look down on him. He was glad Joshua forgave him. It was a good thing David found him now before the damage could sink in any further. Joshua had a crippling lack of self esteem and he was his own worst enemy. His thoughts would have likely eaten him alive during class, festering and rotting until after school when he might not have been so quick to forgive and forget.

David branched off into a light-hearted laugh to lift the mood, bringing his arm around Joshua's shoulders, "I'd rather get my balls caught in a bear trap than join the enemy like that. The whole time I was hanging out with them, I just kept thinking how it didn't feel right. Not like you guys..." He looked between Joshua and Ian before holding out his free arm for Ian to tuck himself under, too.

Ian made a face that was somewhere between amusement and annoyance before he moved over to join them. "This is so cheesy. You know that, right?"

David smiled up at Ian with his cheesiest smile yet, "Of course I do."

Joshua laughed easily, happily. Everything was better. Well, everything except one thing - "Holy crap! We're twenty minutes late!"

David withdrew from his friends to rub the back of his neck idly, "Yeah. We kind of are, aren't we?"

"What do we do? What do I say? My teacher already warned me that my grade would go down a whole letter next time I was late."

"Only one solution, then..." Ian piped up with his typical lack of care. He seemed to live in a perpetual state of time being meaningless, so tardiness was a non-issue for him.

"What's that?" David and Joshua asked simultaneously.

Digging in coat pocket, Ian pulled out his keys - dangling them in front of the duo, "We cut."

Joshua balked, "We can't!"

David shrugged and joined Ian, "Okay."

"You can't!" Joshua's hands came to his head in comical distress.

"My Mom and stepdad aren't home, so we'd have the whole place to ourselves. Think of the games, Josh. Think of the fun. You said it yourself, if you go to class right now, your grades are gonna suffer. And you'll be missing out on a good time. If you come with us, we can help you think of a good excuse tomorrow. You only regret the things in life you didn't do, after all..." David probably shouldn't have been condoning this - but at the same time, he thought it would be good for Joshua to live outside his sheltered, schedule-filled world.

Ian started walking ahead, and David looked back at Joshua, silently beckoning him to follow. Regardless of what Joshua decided to do, David joined Ian. After a few seconds, he heard footsteps rushing to catch up with them. He smiled to himself and clapped Joshua on the shoulder, commending him for making the good choice even though the expression his friend wore was one of reluctant defeat. David looked forward to this. After the drama of lunch period, he thought they owed it to themselves to have a little fun.

* * *

Ian, who had apparently been awake the whole day, took up residence on David's bed and snoozed while Joshua and David were engaged in combat - Mortal Kombat, that was. They were blowing through David's arsenal of games and also making a pretty good dent on the huge bowl of chips between them. During the course of the games they played, David found out a few things about Joshua. One, he wasn't very good at videogames. Two, he was blind - literally. He apparently had blind spots that made it very hard for him to focus on anything too small or too quick, thus why he wasn't very good at videogames. Three, when Joshua got laughing really hard, he sounded a little bit like a walrus. And four, unrelated and most TMI of all, he apparently had a fetish for Japanese porn. Since he was confiding horrible things in David, David decided to return the favor by telling Joshua all about Mari on his mother's wedding night. However, he left out the part about the panic attack as though jacking off to his stepsister was better than saying anything about his anxiety.

Joshua didn't judge David or find him creepy. As a matter of fact, he glorified the moment and wanted to see a picture of Mari before he left in order to give him 'some new material.' They had a good laugh about it and then put their focus back into the game for a while. An hour passed by this way, quickly becoming the time school would have ended. Time went by a hundred times faster (and more enjoyably) here than it would have there. David could tell Joshua didn't regret his decision to come over, and he hoped he would keep that mindset even when going back in the morning. If David's own anxieties were anything to go by, there was a possibility that Joshua would let his worries about getting in trouble gnaw at him, and if David wasn't feeling a little guilt-ridden over the whole thing, he might have suggested Joshua smoke his problems away. But that was his ship to sink on and he didn't want to come across as though he was pressuring Joshua into anything.

In the meantime, Ian was still asleep - snoring quietly. When they reached a break between games, Joshua looked up at the bed and then branched into a chuckle, "He passed right out, didn't he?"

"Didn't stand a chance once he faceplanted there," David followed Joshua's gaze to Ian, smiling a little.

"Can we pause here a sec? I need a pee break. Where's your bathroom again?"

"Out the door and to the right. No sneaking into Kalel's room and snatching a pair of her panties, alright?" David teased, getting up so he could stretch.

"I don't feel like getting my ass kicked by Anthony, thank you. But if you don't mind telling me where Mari's room is, that'd be great," Joshua shot back with an easy going grin.

"Opposite side of the house, straight across from mine," David smirked, pointing toward the window. "I told you I watched her from the window, remember?"

"Invite me over to spend the night next time she's here, will ya?"

Joshua left with a laugh, and David picked up his controller from the floor, heading over to his bed so he could be near Ian. He laid down beside him, easing onto his stomach. David listened carefully for any sign that Ian was waking up from the disturbance, but he continued to breathe even, dreamy breaths. Taking advantage of Ian's sleepy state, he scooted a little closer - until his shoulder brushed up against Ian's and he could feel the warmth of his body. It spread like ripples on water throughout his skin, and David realized what it was about Ian he liked so much.

Up until these past few days, David had been living a hollow existence. He was the shell of a teenage boy, swallowing pills to help him cope with life and never really living. Touching and knowing Ian breathed life into him where it hadn't been, and that was better than any pill he'd ever swallowed or therapist he'd ever seen. He almost wished Joshua would stay in the bathroom or actually go on a panty hunt just so he could savor this moment a bit longer.

Unfortunately, Joshua was back seconds later, "So whaddya wanna play now? I've got Injustice in my bag..." He found his backpack and unzipped it to retrieve the game.

"Sounds like you made the decision for us. Pop it in, mi amigo," David reluctantly moved away from Ian, but only a couple inches - close enough to still feel the warmth of his body but not actually touching.

"You're gonna love it. It's great!" Joshua loaded the disk into the system before taking up residence on the floor again.

David shook his head in amusement. Joshua had been hyping this game up since lunch yesterday, but now David got to see how much of it was because it was a good game and how much of it was because Josh was a DC fanboy. They got to the character select screen when David felt Ian stir. His eyes drifted toward him briefly before he chose the Green Lantern and went to battle against Joshua's Batman. The fight started off well. David might not have played before, but he knew the basic controls and the basic mechanics of fighter games. All he had to do was fiddle around a little bit to figure out what he was doing in order to get a rhythm.

But it all went downhill when he felt Ian's hand brush against his arm. David was about to say some smartass remark like it was about time Ian woke up when the fingers trailed downward, searing his skin with their touch and leaving tingling remnants behind. Ian's hand, then, reached David's hip and wedged its way beneath the hem of his shirt. As soon as he felt Ian's fingers on his bare skin, his concentration was no longer on the game and his breath hitched. What was he doing? Joshua was right there! David was torn between desperately wanting him to stop and needing him to continue.

Light caresses stroked the sensitive flesh of his stomach, tickling and arousing. David tightened his grip on the controller - tapping a few buttons half-heartedly to pretend as though he was putting effort into the game. Joshua easily deflected all of the blows, and as soon as Josh hit his special - Ian's hand plunged down into David's pants. He couldn't help but groan and bite his lip hard to strangle the sound. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ian smirking.

"Don't be such a sore loser and take it like a man!" Joshua beamed, obviously taking the groan of pleasure for one of disappointment.

"I want a rematch," David said breathily, trying his best to keep things normal; trying his best to ensure Joshua didn't turn around to see Ian with his hand buried deep in David's jeans.

"Psh. Your funeral," Joshua started the next battle.

Funeral was befitting considering how much David felt like he wanted to die. He was mortified and turned on beyond belief. He never even realized he could get so hard, and the sad thing was Ian had only been teasing - he hadn't even gone for his cock. David reached one hand away from the controller in order to grab his pillow and hug it against his mouth to muffle his heavy breathing. His eyes remained intent on his television screen, but damned if he knew what was going on anymore. Ian's fingers teased the straining fabric of his boxer briefs, giving him an electric friction but he wanted more. He _needed _more.

Ian finally gave it to him, maneuvering his hand up and under the elastic band - toying in the nest of curls before sliding down and fully grasping David's hard on. This was the first time anyone's hands other than his own had been on it, and it was amazing how much more intense it was.

"Fuck," David breathed out, arching his hips as lust took over.

All of a sudden, nothing else mattered. He came fast and hard, spewing like a fountain into his pants and all over Ian's hand, likely leaving a moist stain on the bed as well. The intensity of the climax rocked him to the core, and by the end of it he found he was biting down on his pillow case, grasping his controller so tightly his knuckles were white.

As his senses slowly came back one by one, David saw Joshua deliver the final blow on his avatar and he felt Ian's hand recede from his groin. The world returned to normal, and David was struck by embarrassment because there was so much to be embarrassed about - doing this while Joshua obliviously played the game, not even lasting ten seconds on his first handjob, and then worst of all - wearing the evidence. David wasn't exactly the greatest when it came to tact, so as soon as his character was defeated - he tossed down the controller, jumped from bed and declared he had to pee really bad before running off to the bathroom.

Joshua finally looked away from the screen, arching his brow at David's sudden rush before he turned to glance over his shoulder at Ian, "What was that about?"

Ian shrugged and answered: "Beats me," as he discreetly wiped his hand on the underside of David's pillow.


	10. Chapter 10

_Author's Notes: I am so sick right now, so I apologize if the proofreading is a little lackluster. But heeey, how about that Game Bang? They went above and beyond the call of Iancorn and made my Friday night. If all it takes is a wish in my author's notes to get that, I'll be sure to update every Friday with the wish lolol. Warning's wise, this chapter contains hints of prescription drug abuse and glossed over masturbation. And it's also stupidly long. I hope you enjoy, though!_

* * *

David rushed into the bathroom and closed the door behind himself, leaning against it for a moment. His eyes veered down to the center of his pants and then he looked up at his reflection in the mirror, shaking his head at his sorry state. He was still reeling from the afterglow of orgasm, but the afterglow was ruined by the fact that he couldn't enjoy it. He had to get in here and clean up as quickly as possible before Joshua suspected it was something more than a pee break. He was lucky in that this was 'his bathroom' which meant the hamper contained his dirty clothes, and he could dig around for a spare change in there. How awkward would it have been to go grab some clean jeans and underwear in front of Joshua before declaring he had to pee really bad? Super awkward.

He stripped down quickly and plopped on the toilet to clean up the mess - and what a spectacular mess it was. Ian touched him and he burst, and it was the most sexually exciting experience he ever had, but probably the saddest one from anyone else's perspective. David frowned a little as he ran a moist washcloth between his legs. He hoped Ian didn't think less of him because of it. Here David had been boasting about being far better than Melanie, and he blew his load in a matter of seconds. It was pathetic.

David frowned at the thought, wiping up the last of his mess just in time to hear footsteps outside the door. He froze and listened, and the steps stopped. All was silent for a moment until the bathroom door suddenly opened. David didn't even have any time to cover himself properly, staring at the entrance in rabbit-eyed panic. The culprit who barged in on him was none other than Ian.

"Got a little excited, did you?" He closed the door, amusement in his voice.

"I...er...shut up," David colored, looking away. "What are you doing in here?"

"I came to do my business, but I saw you were hogging up the toilet. Are you done yet?"

"...um yeah. I'm done," David cupped his groin as he rose, even though he didn't know why he bothered. Ian's hand had already been there, so what was he trying to hide? Probably his shame.

Ian took David's place, lifting the toilet seat and unzipping his pants while David dug around in the hamper for yesterday's jeans and boxer briefs. He pulled the undergarments on before stepping into the jeans and drawing them up his hips. Curiosity got the better of him and when he saw Ian standing in front of the toilet with his fly down and dick out, he couldn't help but steal a peek. David could honestly say he had never been attracted to a man's body. Sure, he could appreciate attractiveness in a dude, but as far as what it had to offer, he never had an interest.

Things changed with Ian. A single kiss tipped the balance of his sexuality, and David found himself particularly interested in Ian. What did he look like in his most intimate state? Did he shave down there or was it just as rugged as his beard? Did he have any muscle definition? Was there hair on his chest? How big was he and what did it look like when it was erect? Well, from what David could tell - Ian seemed to be an average size. Not terribly different from his own, except a little bit thicker.

"Are you checking me out?" Ian's question jarred David out of his thoughts.

Crap! He was caught. He looked mortified and then snapped his attention elsewhere, "I don't know what you're talking about..."

"You _were _checking me out," he smirked - and somehow that smirk made him even more attractive.

"Okay, fine. I was. So what? If you weren't such a sexy beast, maybe I wouldn't have to," if David couldn't escape his crime, the least he could do was joke about it.

He laughed, finishing up and pausing, "Should I leave it hanging out then? So you can get a better look? Maybe do a twirl?"

David's eyes veered down at Ian's crotch before he shook his head in amusement, "Thank you. I have my motivation to jerk off tonight."

"You'll last a little longer by yourself, right?" Ian teased, tucking himself back in his pants before going for the sink to wash his hands.

"Not cool," David tried to keep his tone neutral, but the embarrassment did creep in there. He was ashamed of his complete lack of stamina. "No one's ever touched me before. Hell, no one's ever even kissed me until you. Why are you so interested in me when no one else was?"

"I'm not everyone else. That's why."

The answer was simple, and yet it defined everything about Ian that David liked. He smiled, looking down at his feet for a moment before his eyes veered back up. As soon as Ian was finished washing his hands, David reached out to pull him into a kiss. A completely sober kiss. Without his mind clouded by a haze of drugs, he could focus on the way it felt and how Ian's mouth fit against his own. He could feel the warmth of Ian's body pressed against his and the pressure of Ian's lips returning the kiss. A low sound of enjoyment bubbled up in David's throat and he lingered there until he felt Ian's sleeping member begin to stir.

"We should probably go back. Josh'll start looking for us."

"Let him," Ian went back in and started focusing his attention on David's neck, spreading kisses and light nips along the side of it.

For a moment, all David could do was stand there and let him - feeling the thrill of desire rush throughout and a tingling sensation at the base of his throat. The tingling sensation intensified until there was a slight pain - a pleasant pain, but a pain no less. David inched back and spared a glance at his reflection only to widen his eyes. Right there on his neck was a dime-sized red mark and when he reached up to touch it, he could still feel the moisture of Ian's saliva.

"Did you just give me a hickey?!"

Ian looked at it, "Looks like it. You're welcome." And he went back in for a kiss.

David backed away, though, frowning. "We shouldn't..."

"We should..."

"But, Joshua..."

"...will be happy his two friends are having a good time."

"You really consider us both friends?"

"Yeah, sure. Whatever. Can we make out more?"

David smiled. Warmed that Ian actually cared about them that much. It was disappointing he couldn't give him what he wanted, though. "I'm sorry. We just can't. Not now."

Ian studied him as though gauging whether he could push the boundaries to get David to change his mind. Finally he gave up with a disappointed sigh. "You're such a fucking cock tease."

"Come over tomorrow and I'll make it up to you. I promise," David opened the medicine cabinet, sifting through amber pill bottles in order to get to the bandaids. "Actually, I wanted to ask you...how much is it for some weed?"

"Depends on how much you want..." Ian stepped forward to join David's side.

"I don't know. Whatever you'd recommend..." David was in the process of opening one of the bandages and slapping it on his neck when he noticed Ian reaching into the cabinet to withdraw one of the pill bottles and skim the label.

"Are these yours?" Ian put it back and took out another one.

"...yeah. Why?"

"Tell you what," Ian shook the little bottle in his hand, the pills rattling. "If you can spare the Valium, I'll get you whatever you want - free of charge."

David stared at the bottle. Would his Mom notice it was missing? Considering how many medications were actually in the cabinet, probably not. And considering he only went to the Valium in desperate cases, he wouldn't really miss it either. It was a pretty fair trade. "Sure. Have at it."

Ian closed his fingers around the amber vial and pocketed it, "I'll come by tomorrow, so you better google all you can about blowjobs in the meantime." He winked.

David flushed and his mouth went dry, making it difficult to speak. "R-right." He swallowed his nerves and started for the door. "Are you coming?"

"I'll be there in a few. Gonna rub one out first."

David stared at Ian, not sure if he heard him right. "You're gonna...what?"

"If someone didn't leave me with a case of blueballs, maaybe I wouldn't have to," Ian's reply was simple and snarky. "Of course, you're welcome to stay and watch if you want."

"I...uh...no. Have fun? I guess?" David stepped out of the bathroom with uncertainty, closing the door as he left. He lingered there and listened, hearing the pants drop and Ian's breath grow heavy. He really was doing it! David shook his head and moved away from the bathroom before he got too caught up in listening and became too turned on to go back. Already, a part of him was disappointed he couldn't turn around and join him. It wasn't fair of Ian to prey on his overactive libido like that!

David slowly returned to his room, flashing a brief glance to his bed where a small little wet stain stared back at him in accusation. He walked toward it and casually flipped the bed covers in a way that would hide it before sinking down. Joshua looked up at him by that point, "That was the longest pee ever. Ian even went to look for you."

"Yeah, I ran into him and we were just...talking," David shrugged - trying out Ian's brand of nonchalance, but finding it difficult when he was so fidgety and flustered.

"About anything good? I mean, I don't think I've ever really heard him say more than three sentences at a time. I don't even know what he's really like..."

"It wasn't really anything important," he brushed it off because none of what happened during the conversation could really be shared or elaborated on. "But I think the thing I've figured out about Ian is that you can't figure out Ian. He's different, unpredictable, and not really one for words - but it's those things that while most of the world would find it undesirable, I find it intriguing."

"You got high with him, you said. I don't wanna be some kind of downer, but do you really think that's a good idea?" Joshua turned to him fully and only then noticed the bandaid. "Dude, what happened to your neck?"

David had been about to respond to the first question when Joshua reminded him of the hickey. His fingers went up to brush against the bandaid before he waved it off. "Oh yeah. I'm fine. I just opened the medicine cabinet real quick to get my BuSpar and caught myself in the neck. Stupid me..." he laughed uneasily, waiting to see if Joshua bought it.

He apparently did because he laughed too. "This is why we're friends. You're just as clumsy as me." The smile faded and although David hoped they were done with the original topic, Joshua revisited it. "But seriously - the drugs thing..."

David bit he inside of his lip, shrugging absently, "Here's the way I see it. I'm already on drugs. With all the anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds I have, I could probably start up my own pharmacy. But here's the thing. When I smoked the weed? I felt better than I ever had. The other drugs? They just knocked me out and made me numb. I didn't feel like myself. I mean, I didn't feel _anything_. I lost half of what made me _me_ and the other half of the time, I was just passed out in bed. The weed didn't do that. I don't plan on trying anything heavier, but I think based on what I felt, I can tell you that it is probably a hundred times better to smoke my anxiety away than it is to take some pill." He moved over to settle beside Joshua with his controller in hand. "But rest assured, I don't plan on doing it before school ever again."

Joshua studied him for a moment before he seemed to accept the answer, "As long as you know what you're doing. I like Ian and everything, but I can't help but think it's smart not to get too close to him."

"You're probably right..." but David liked to think he had control. Even if Ian wasn't the greatest influence, David was consciously making the decision to explore his sexuality with him. If he needed to, he could bail at any point. He was confident in that much.

At least he was pretty sure he was confident.

Fifty percent confident.

Ian returned to the room, and David felt everything inside shoot to life at just the mere sight of him. His heart pounded and embarrassment touched his cheeks at the knowledge of what he had been doing, what they had done, and what they were continuing to do.

...okay, he really wasn't that confident at all.

* * *

Ian and Joshua had left before anyone came home, including Kalel which was surprising because David assumed she and Anthony always took advantage of the house being empty. Not that he was complaining. He didn't want to see another confrontation between the two - not while he had been completely sober, but it was still strange nonetheless. Even when she got home before either of their parents, it was without Anthony. She breezed past David with a mumbled greeting and an arm load of books, making her way straight for her room and locking herself in. Soon afterward, his mother arrived home and within a half hour, so had his stepfather. The only other time David saw Kalel was at dinner when they all sat down together. She was quick to eat, dismissing herself from the table and grabbing a Red Bull to go before she vaulted back up the stairs and to her room again.

Dinner didn't last too much longer after that. David was the next to leave his Mom and Kenichi to talk about their day and unwind together in ways he really didn't want to think about. Instead, he went upstairs and played some videogames until he got tired, then he attempted homework before abandoning that in favor of sleep. He went to go to bed only to see the stains from the afternoon - and the new ones on his pillow from where Ian must have wiped his hand off. He shook his head in disgusted amusement, flipping the pillow onto its clean side and dropping it at the head of the bed. The memory of what they did, as well as the thought of Ian pleasuring himself in his bathroom caused a surge of arousal to rise, and so the last thing David did before he went to sleep was fantasize about Ian while he brought himself to climax - this time not in his pants and with plenty of tissues nearby.

He drifted off to sleep shortly afterward, dreaming things that made no sense and he wouldn't even be able to recall upon waking. At one point during the night, though, he woke up immensely thirsty. He tried to swallow enough saliva to sate his dry mouth so he could roll over and continue sleep, but it didn't work. Every time he took a breath, he could feel the uncomfortable sensation of what felt like cotton balls soaking up all the moisture in his mouth and throat. Reluctantly, David left his comfortable bed and grabbed his bedside glass, heading toward his bathroom in order to get some water from the tap.

As he stepped out into the hall, though, he noticed Kalel's light was on in her room. He could hear the light musical sounds of a piano coming from there - a light twinkling of notes played in rapid succession as though chasing each other down the scale. It was one section that she kept playing over and over again after she missed a note or played the wrong one, and the whole thing culminated in frustration as he heard her slam her hands on the keyboard a few times before mumbling 'fuck.'

David lingered where he was, halfway between getting his water and halfway between going to see what was up with her. Not really sure why, he opted for the latter option, figuring if she didn't want to talk, she could just turn him away. He knocked a couple times on her partially opened door to announce himself before he eased it open and caught sight of the whirlwind of a scene. Books were strewn about her floor - open to random pages with half completed piles of homework while her bed was a mess of sheet music. Kalel herself was in her pajamas - sitting on a bench with her keyboard, a little work lamp illuminating the current music she was playing and an energy drink rested on the nightstand nearby. Her hair was a mess, her room was a mess - she was a mess.

David broke the silence, "Hey..."

She looked up at him in surprise, "I didn't wake you up, did I?"

He shook his head, "No. I was gonna go get a drink, but I heard you playing. Is...um...everything okay?"

Kalel reached up to wipe her hand across her brow line - massaging away a headache, "It's fine. I just have a lot riding on this recital next month, that's all." She drew in a deep breath, beginning to play again. "I have the chance to graduate early this year if I can keep my grades up. And Yale University of Music has always been my dream school. I just learned today that they've taken an interest in me after hearing some recordings my piano teacher has sent them. A representative is going to come to my recital and see me play, so I need to find the perfect piece to impress them with."

"Wow, Kalel. That's great! How come you didn't say anything at dinner?"

She looked up at him, pausing her playing mid-measure, "Are you kidding me? My father would only make things worse. You don't know what it's like to live with a Japanese father and to be only half of what he expects from you. Straight A's, perfection all the time, to excel in everything you try...just like Mari." She hit the keys with her palm. "But I'm not Mari. I'm not his fucking perfect daughter. I'm just me. And me is never good enough."

David stared at her as she was lost in her frustration, empathizing with her pain. After all, didn't Matt suffer through a lot of the same treatment? He walked forward, setting his empty glass down so he could settle beside her on the bench and bring his arm around her shoulders, "You're you. And that's good enough for anyone who matters. Like Anthony. Like me. There's no such thing as perfect. The only thing we can strive to be is perfectly imperfect..."

Kalel stared at him for a lingering moment before her expression warmed over and she lightly nudged him with her shoulder. "Thanks."

"No problem," he met her gaze and then glanced off to the sheet music. It was a bunch of jibberish to him - like a crazy game of connect the dots on speed.

He debated telling her about Matt and how similar their situations were, but he decided not to. It might complicate things and give her a malice toward his mother to go along with her mild resentment - the same type of resentment he felt toward her father, so he didn't blame her for it. Instead, he did his part to keep things as normal as possible, as normal as they were at the moment. David watched as her jittery, shaking fingers found the keys again and she attempted to control them enough to play a song. He chewed on the inside of his lip before he got up with the announcement: "Hang on. I have something for you..."

David grabbed his glass, heading into the bathroom. He turned on the tap and got himself some water before setting it aside so he could sift through his medicine cabinet. His fingers skimmed the labels before he found what he was searching for, heading back toward Kalel's room. David nudged open the door with his foot and set the amber bottle down in front of her. She looked at it and then up at him as though he was crazy.

"It's Ativan. Perfect for short term anxiety - like the stress of your performance. I stopped using it because my anxiety was more of a long term thing so I needed something I could take daily. But when I did take it, it worked wonders."

"Is it safe...?" She took the vial in her hands, inspecting it.

"I don't think they'd prescribe it if it wasn't, right? I mean, your father works in the field so he should know..."

Kalel remained skeptical, but eventually she caved - opening the lid and placing a pill in her mouth before washing it down with the rest of her Red Bull. She wiped her hand across the back of her mouth and looked up at him with a tiny, appreciative smile. He smiled back, giving her another half hug before he took his water and headed toward the door.

"Try to get some sleep, alright?"

Kalel nodded, "I will. I'm just gonna bang this out one last time, and then I'll hit the sack. Do you want a ride with Anthony and me tomorrow?"

"Oh...thanks, but...I'm pretty sure Ian's gonna come grab me."

Her lips pinched down in disappointment, "I saw you hanging out with Jesse Haegler today. I think he would be much better for you."

"For my reputation? Maybe. For me personally? Not at all. Ian's the one thing that makes sense, that makes me feel _something._"

"I just..." Kalel trailed off, frowning, before she shook her head and dismissed the topic. "Nevermind. Sleep well, David..."

David wanted to know what she was about to say, but the way she turned back to her keyboard and started to lightly play the melody again gave a finality to the conversation. Chipping away at her and asking for something she didn't want to answer would only damage what they built up between them just now, so David left it as it was, wishing her a good night as well, before downing his water and heading back to his bedroom.


	11. Chapter 11

_Author's Notes: Soooo I stayed home from work today because I felt too bad to go which gave me a lot of time to get the next chapter written! The only thing is I wrote it while feverish, so I'm not sure how great it is. lol I'll probably look back on it later and just line face at the whole thing. But I'll post it anyway and hope for the best! Thanks for reading! _

* * *

The next morning came far too soon, but in spite of not feeling as though he'd slept enough, David was up and getting ready with a gusto. The thought of seeing Ian gave him energy where it would have been lacking, and he got dressed in record time - heading into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Once finished, he walked out and passed Kalel who was stifling a yawn and waving her good morning with the free hand. She dragged her feet more than usual, but David was sure it was because she had probably pulled close to an all nighter to get all her work done. No amount of energy drinks could prevent the ultimate crash.

He headed downstairs and into the kitchen, greeting his Mom with a kiss on the cheek which caused her to light up in surprise, "Wow, someone sure is in a good mood. You're adjusting well to school, I take it?"

"Yeah. It's going great..." he took his lunch from the counter.

"What happened to your neck?" Her eyes veered down at the bandaid.

David had almost forgotten about it, reaching up to touch the mark before he quickly answered, "Slipped while shaving."

"Shaving already..." she smiled somberly. "You really are growing up."

"Is that gonna be what you say every morning?" David rolled his eyes fondly. He supposed he was growing up if his recent sexual exploits were anything to go by and the hickey was his badge. The sound of a car horn rose up before she could answer and he tossed his lunch in his book bag before backing toward the main entrance. "Gotta go, Mom."

"Have a great day at school!" She called after him.

David jammed his feet in his sneakers and then rushed out the door, elated when he saw Ian's car waiting for him. He headed over to the passenger's side, climbing in with a smile of greeting and before long they were on their way. They didn't say anything to each other, but it wasn't necessarily an uncomfortable silence. Ian was silent by default and David wasn't sure what to say to him. Sometimes words weren't necessary, though. His eyes veered toward Ian, and he took in the sight of him, feeling a thrill of desire. It was strange how easily his body had come to associate Ian with yearning, longing, and sexual excitement when he had only known him for a few days.

It wasn't fair Ian only gave and never received yesterday, was it? David felt a strange and daring impulse take hold of him and part of him wondered if the new liberation was because he hadn't taken his BuSpar since he met Ian. Had the anxiety medication been suppressing his spontaneity and adventurous side? Or had Ian just brought it out of him? Either way, once the idea came to him, he didn't back out of it. David reached out his hand and planted it atop Ian's thigh, savoring the warmth before trailing fingers along the inseam of his jeans.

Ian's eyes veered down and amusement pursed on his lips, "What're you doing?"

"Returning the favor," David answered easily.

He reached out to pop open the button of Ian's pants and slowly dragged down the zipper. With his heart racing in his throat from anticipation and nerves, David freed Ian from the confines of his pants, looking up at the road and knowing he only had about fifteen minutes to get him to cum before they reached the school parking lot. He felt up to the challenge, so to speak. His hand curled around the semi-erect length, gripping firm and stroking him. Fortunately, David had years of experience with masturbation so he knew how to handle a cock. If this had been a woman, he probably would've been at such a loss.

But handling it wasn't enough. Even as he felt Ian heat up and grow hard in his grasp, even as he watched the pleasure cloud Ian's face as he struggled to make sure his eyes never left the road - David felt he should offer him something more as a token of appreciation for just how much he'd changed his life since they met. Even if he wasn't the most experienced and got most of his knowledge based off years of extensive porn watching, it never hurt to try something new...well unless they wrecked.

"So..." David licked his lips. "What's the most sexually exciting thing you've done in a car while you were driving?"

"It has to be while driving? Can't be while parked?" Ian questioned on a breath.

"While driving," David repeated, quickening his handjob and enjoying the way Ian felt against his palm.

"I don't think I've ever done anything while driving besides manhandle myself a little bit, so this is definitely top of the list..."

"Looks like I'll have to one up myself, then," David removed his hand much to Ian's disappointment just so he could undo his seatbelt.

Ian glanced over briefly to see David shifting awkwardly in his seat and leaning over the console to get in a better position. He gripped Ian again, guiding him toward his mouth. Was he really about to do this? Yes. He was. He wasn't going to let his nerves stop him now that he'd gotten this far - and there was a bit of an ulterior motive. He wanted to excite Ian as much as Ian excited him. He wanted Ian to want him more than he wanted Melanie or anyone else. If he could be Ian's first in something, then no one else would be able to take that from him. He had to make this good. And not just good - he had to make this _unforgettable. _

David glided his tongue along the tip to get a taste, hearing the shift in Ian's breath which spurred him onward. He was by no means an expert, but he knew the basics. As long as he kept teeth out of the equation, anything he did should be good. So he invited it into his mouth carefully, holding the base of him to keep things steady as they drove. David found he enjoyed this - the musky scent of Ian, feeling the pulse of pleasure against his tongue, and the way Ian sighed out and struggled to keep control of the car - it all excited him far more than he ever thought giving a blowjob would. Hell, David never thought he WOULD give a blowjob in his life, so this was one of those pleasantly surprising curveballs that turned out far better than expected.

He continued to work Ian with his tongue, not taking him too deep for fear that he would lose control over a bumpy road and gag himself or something. But David was consumed by one driving force, and that was getting Ian off. Even though his pants had bunched and tightened uncomfortably, and he wanted Ian so badly it hurt, this was all about Ian. So he did his best, and his best was rewarded when he heard a choked cry escape Ian's lips. When he felt the telltale throb, he knew he had about two seconds to decide whether he was going to swallow Ian's load or not. David decided swallowing would probably be cleaner and sexier in the end. But Ian came fast, and while the taste wasn't bad, the act of cumming made David gag a bit in surprise.

He pulled up sharply and hit his head on the steering wheel, wincing as Ian finished off on his cheeks and lips. And while it wasn't the most sexy way to end it, he did accomplish his goal. David righted himself, using his hand to swipe his face clean. Ian was left panting; his eyes were heavy-lidded but not closed, focus still solely on the road. They were cruising along much slower now, though.

David trailed his tongue along his lips with a laugh, "Well. That was something."

"Guess you studied up like I told you. Good job," Ian flashed a glance over at him.

He mock bowed in response, "You have any napkins?" As he asked, he reached into the glove box and searched around until he found a few with fast food logos on them. They were used to wipe his hands and face clean. "So have you ever...you know...gone all the way with a guy before?"

Ian reached down to one-handedly tuck himself back in his pants so he wasn't exposing himself to all the trucks that passed them by. He couldn't zip himself up until they stopped at a traffic light, though. "Yeah, why?"

"What's it like?"

He shrugged, "It's like sex. You put it in and thrust."

"Virgin here. All I have is my imagination and a bottle of lube, remember?" David spared him an amused glance before shyly looking away. "I don't know how you feel about it, but I'm kind of thinking since we're going this far - why not go all the way sometime? I think seventeen is a pretty good age to stop being a virgin..."

"I'm cool with it, but you're not gonna go all weird on me, are you?"

"What? Weird how?"

"Like getting attached and thinking we're exclusive or boyfriends or something."

"Are you opposed to relationships?" David raised his brows.

"Yeah. They're wastes of time and energy. Too much effort to put in and too much to go wrong when you don't put in that effort."

"Is that what happened between you and Anthony?" David blurted it out before he could stop himself.

"What? No!" Ian seemed to recoil at the thought, becoming disgusted. "No."

"Just asking," David held up his hands with an easy going laugh. At least he could rule out one possibility, but that still left a million more. "Anyway, I'm pretty sure I won't get weird on you. As long as the only reason you don't want a relationship is because of the reasons you gave and not because you're holding out hope Melanie's gonna dump Jesse and hop on your cock for a permanent ride..."

Ian wrinkled his nose, "No. And what makes you think I want her anymore than I want you?"

David shrugged, "The way you were talking to her yesterday for one."

"It's no different from the way I talk to you - only it involves a lot more careful planning and a lot more drug talk. Which speaking of...I got your stuff," Ian reached the school and parked before he brought his hand into the coat pocket and presented the weed.

Seeing the little bag of buds and greenery, David took it carefully and then found the hidden pouch of his book bag, tucking it away in there like a dirty little secret. He already felt a bit guilty to be carrying it on him for the whole day. "Thanks..." he said absentmindedly.

"Any time."

David leaned back against the seat, looking out at the students who passed them by. He closed his eyes and tried to will his erection down at least part way before he got out to face the world. Suddenly he felt the warmth on the center of his pants - which didn't help at all. His eyes flew open and he snapped his attention to Ian in question. Ian merely grinned lasciviously in response.

"I think...if you can finish as fast as you did yesterday, I can help you out with that."

David began to protest but the sound died in his throat and he nodded his consent. Hell, who was he to stand in the way of what his body wanted and needed at the moment?

* * *

Concentrating on school was difficult when the only thing on David's mind was Ian - the taste of Ian, the touch of Ian, the way he talked and smelled and how amazing he made him feel. He found himself longing for lunch all throughout his morning classes just so he could see him again. Was it bad to fantasize about someone so much? To feel a rush at the mere thought of them? Was it crazy to have a single person consume your mind and to not feel complete without being in their presence? Hell, was it crazy to feel this way only after a couple days?

David imagined this was what it was like to be addicted to a drug - to crave and yearn and fixate on it until it was in your system. He fidgeted and wrung his pencil all throughout Spanish class, eyeing the clock and willing time to speed up. And after what felt like an agonizingly long couple of hours, the bell for lunch finally rang. David was up and out of the classroom in a rush.

He found Ian in the hall, getting a drink of water from the fountain and joined him then, already feeling better after getting the fix of his presence. But after what they were starting to do, it was difficult to keep his hands to himself and his mouth away from Ian's. If David had his way, he would indulge in Ian's body every minute of every hour.

It was with the greatest self restraint that he went to lunch with Ian and joined Joshua. It was with the greatest self restraint that he kept his hands on the table and focused on eating rather than exploring between Ian's legs. It was with the greatest self restraint that he barely even spoke to Ian, focusing solely on Joshua while Ian stole one half of his sandwich and chowed down. He knew his patience would be rewarded at the end of the day, so for now he could only anticipate that moment as difficult as it was to ignore Ian's mouth and kissable lips when he chewed.

Now that David was around Ian again, time sped up and flew by. It seemed as though they had only just arrived at lunch before it was ending. David and Ian parted ways with Joshua and went to gym, noticing the volleyball net had been set up. David also noticed the way Jesse and Blake looked up at him when he entered and snickered between themselves. He rolled his eyes. It might have bothered him to be the butt of someone else's joke before, but when he was with Ian, he could hardly bring himself to care about anything else. Those guys were assholes who didn't matter. Ian and Joshua were the only ones who did.

That wasn't to say he was immune to caring about things around Ian. When David noticed the way Melanie smiled at Ian and how they exchanged greetings, he felt a surge of jealousy. As much as he wanted to believe Ian was being truthful in the car, there was a nagging part of his low self-esteem that thought he was only being used because Ian couldn't have what he truly wanted in Melanie. Maybe he was wrong. Hopefully he was wrong, but until he was a hundred percent certain - it would probably always be a little fear in the back of his mind.

Iris was with Melanie and she grinned, waving at him energetically. Taken by surprise, because he had forgotten all about her advances yesterday, David waved back shyly and that was when class began. The gym teacher announced they would be divided into two teams and play against each other in volleyball, starting things off by selecting the team captains - Jesse and Iris. David pretty much knew what team he was going to be on as soon as the leaders were chosen, but he waited for them to go through the process of picking their favorites (Jesse got Blake and Iris got Melanie) before he got picked for Iris's team. A few other classmates were chosen and Ian, being one of the last picks, wound up on Jesse's team. It was an unfortunate luck of the draw, but no big deal since they wouldn't have been able to interact during the game very much anyway.

David wound up in the front row during the first rotation - directly across from Jesse and Blake. Jesse flashed him a mocking smirk, and David bent his knees to brace himself in a ready position - somehow driven to try even harder so he could wipe that stupid look off the guy's face.

David's team got to serve, sending the ball over the net where it was hit up in the air by someone on Jesse's side and sent to another player who hit it to Jesse. Jesse leapt up in the air and hit it as hard as possible toward David. David narrowly evaded the hit, and it crashed to the floor, bouncing up into Melanie's hands. He glared at Jesse, knowing it was on purpose even though all David received in response was a mockingly innocent expression.

Jesse's team got the ball, and they served it over the net - Melanie bumping it to Iris who in turn bumped it to David. He sent it over the net where Ian got his chance to hit it back toward another teammate who sent it to Jesse. Hearing Jesse hit the ball was really the last thing David remembered before he felt a sharp, painful impact of the ball against his skull.

He blinked dazedly, his vision blurring out of focus. David squinted in front of himself just in time to see the distorted images of Jesse and Blake give each other a high five. Then his world started to tilt, becoming lopsided. He thought he saw Ian charging toward Jesse with his fist raised high, but the floor rose up and hit him in the face before he could make sense of the scene.

After that, everything went dark.


	12. Chapter 12

_Author's Notes: Proofread on Nyquil. I blame that for any failing. No warnings for once! Yaaay! Haha hope you enjoy!_

* * *

David woke up to a bright flashlight being shined directly in his eyes. He grimaced, lifting his hand to shield it out. The light extinguished without warning, leaving little dots floating in front of him, and he could vaguely make out the faces of the school nurse, Iris and Joshua behind them.

"Is he alright?" Joshua asked urgently.

The nurse, with the patience of a saint, soothed his high strung friend, "Shhh. I believe he has a concussion. It's best not to be too loud or get too excited now that he's coming to."

"Is it okay if we stay with him until his mother comes?" Iris canted her head, looking back toward David.

"As long as it isn't interfering with your classes," the nurse responded kindly before turning back to David as she noticed him regaining consciousness. "Hello, Mr. Moss. How are you feeling?"

David frowned, trying to remember what happened and coming up blank. It was like the past few seconds, minutes, and hours had vanished into nothing and there was only a throbbing headache left in its place. He sat up a little too quickly, grimacing as a searing pain lanced through him before withering back against the uncomfortable cot, "Where's Ian?"

"Mr. Moss, please calm down and answer my questions..."

He looked past her, ignoring her plea so his eyes could level on Joshua, "Where's Ian?"

Joshua opened his mouth to respond, but Iris stepped in, "He was sent to the principal's office after he punched Jesse in class. He kept yelling that he hit you on purpose and how he was going to mess him up. I never seen him go so crazy before..."

David was surprised and somewhat touched. Ian had done that for him? Ian had stepped in to his defense? He supposed he couldn't question whether or not Ian cared about him. Wait - Jesse hit him? With what? The way his head was pounding, it felt like a baseball bat. He closed his eyes to shield out his dizziness, resting his hand atop his head, "What happened?"

"You were struck by a volleyball and then fell and hit your head on the floor," the nurse explained, taking his hand away from the bump and placing an ice pack in it before returning it to its spot. "Are you feeling any confusion, disorientation, dizziness or nausea?"

"D. All of the above...or would that be E because you listed four things?" David attempted to keep things light-hearted in spite of how crappy he felt. Joshua and Iris looked far too concerned and in need of some reassurance he was fine, even if he wasn't. He wasn't used to having people care about his well-being like this. What was the proper way to react? "You said my Mom's coming?"

"She will be here soon. We notified her as soon as you were brought in. But from what you're saying, it might be a wise idea for her to bring you to the Emergency Room."

"Injured during volleyball. That's a good message to send to the children. Sports are dangerous. That's why I don't tend to do them. Down with phys ed," David laughed, and then stopped short when it jostled his head a little too much. He closed his eyes briefly, shielding out the painful light. This ice was becoming too much of a burden to hold, so he dropped it without a care.

He heard footsteps approach his bed and someone was stooping down to pick it up. The soft hand swiped over his brow while the ice was returned to the bump - this time being held by someone else. David opened his eyes and was greeted by the sight of Iris who offered him a faint smile. He returned it, appreciating her care and concern. The nurse was pulled away to take care of a student who appeared to be gushing blood from his nose so Joshua, who had been kept at bay until now, took the chance to step forward, his eyes full of concern and voice full of remorse.

"It's all my fault. If you weren't friends with me, Jesse would just leave you alone. I'm so sorry I dragged you into this..."

David waved off his comment, "It's a battle scar I wear with pride for holding down the fort. And it gets me out of bio, which is also a plus." Seeing this wasn't really doing the trick to perk up Joshua's spirits, David sighed. "Look, I don't care what sort of crap I have to suffer through to be your friend - it's not gonna change my decision. And anyone who doesn't like it can just go kiss my white, pasty ass."

"That's so admirable," Iris fawned, wedging herself into the tiny space beside David on the cot.

He tinged with a hint of color, having forgotten she was there for a moment. "It's not really..."

Joshua shook his head adamantly, "No. It is. I know it's pretty pathetic to admit, but I never expected to have a friend - let alone a friend who would willingly throw himself in the line of fire."

"...I wouldn't say I threw myself in willingly..."

Joshua ignored him and continued, "But then you come along and, and...you stand up to Jesse, and you like videogames, and you're such a cool guy. And even now, you're sitting here with a possible concussion and you're just acting like it's no big deal. I just...agh..." He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I wish for one minute I could be nearly as cool as you."

David wanted to laugh, but he remembered how much it hurt so he refrained. "I'm not. I'm like the biggest lo-" He trailed off abruptly. Yes, he had been a loser. Yes, he had been the most unpopular kid in his old school. But that wasn't the case here, was it? Here he had friends. Here he was starting to explore things sexually. Here he even had a girl who was into him for some unknown reason. He looked up at Iris who smiled down at him. So with a confident grin, David revised what he was going to say, "Well, maaaybe if you stick around me, some of my awesome will rub off on you."

It was at that point a rushed clacking of high heeled shoes came scurrying into the nurse's office. David looked up in time to see his Mom appear, anguish mingled with terror and concern all over her face. She darted to his bedside and nearly bowled Joshua over in the process. Iris instantly got up to give them some space, withdrawing the ice pack and smoothing down her skirt that had ridden up.

"Oh, David...how are you feeling? Does it hurt? Can you walk?" His mother doted over him, destroying his 'cool' vibe in one fell swoop.

"I'm managing, Mom. Can we go?" David pushed himself up to a sitting position and the world seemed to spin around him. He braced himself before swinging his legs over the side of the cot. He sat there for a moment, trying to find the will and energy to plant his feet on the ground and stand. But with the vertigo, he knew he wouldn't be able to do it alone. "A little help here?"

Joshua hurried over at the same time as Iris, both taking a side and becoming his support. David was grateful for them as was his mother. She placed her hand against her heart. "That's so kind of your friends. Do you two mind accompanying us to the car? I'd feel much better if David had the support..."

"Of course not," replied Joshua.

"I'd be happy to," Iris wedged her body closer to David's - so close, in fact, he could feel her breasts press against his side. At least he knew he wasn't all gay because there was a perverted part of him that enjoyed the contact in spite of the position he was in.

They left the office and made their way toward the main exit. A few students turned their heads toward them in curiosity, and David withered against his two assistants - never liking to be the center of attention. He was sure the story would circulate around the school come morning, but the question was - would they take his side or Jesse's? And what about Ian? What was his fate in the gossip mill? What was his fate in general? David supposed it all depended on how badly Jesse was hurt, but he didn't want to ask the details from Iris - not in front of his mother. His Mom wasn't the type of person who could appreciate the cathartic satisfaction he would have felt from Jesse getting his ass kicked.

After what seemed like a long trip, but could have only been five minutes at most, they made it to the car. David's mother opened the door for him, and Iris released his side so Joshua could guide him properly into the car. David sank back against the seat, reaching up to draw the seatbelt across his chest. As his mother shut the door and headed to the opposite side to start the vehicle, he rolled the window down and called out to the pair.

"I don't know if Ian's going to come to school tomorrow, but can one of you tell him to get in touch with me? Iris, you can probably talk to Melanie. I'm pretty sure she has his number."

"Why? You're not coming tomorrow?" Joshua frowned.

"Probably not..." David answered, but his Mom shook her head adamantly so he corrected: "Definitely not."

"I'll pass the message onto her," Iris lifted her hand to wave. "Bye, David! Feel better!"

"Y-yeah! Feel better!" Joshua was frowning at the prospect of being alone, but waved as well.

"Thanks." And then they pulled away from the school.

"Who's Ian?" His Mom made conversation.

David felt his cheeks flare with color and he was grateful her eyes were glued on the road. "He's nobody. Just a friend."

He definitely wasn't ready to have _that_ conversation with her just yet.

* * *

David's mother brought him to the ER where they sat in the waiting room for close to an hour before he was brought in for examination. After being checked out, the doctor determined what everyone else had already guessed - he had a mild concussion. David was advised to stay home from school until Monday and to take acetaminophen as the pain occurred. He was also advised to stay away from his anti-anxiety medication for at least twenty-four hours, but David hadn't planned on taking it anyway. It was three days clean and he was going strong, why break the cycle now?

His mother brought him home and went to work making all of his favorites for dinner - steak with caramelized onions, baked potato loaded up with butter, and green beans fried in butter and brown sugar. She spent the whole rest of the evening pampering him, checking if he needed a refill on his water ever hour, and asking if he needed anything else every half. It was a reprieve when she finally left him alone to go to sleep. David loved his mother dearly and appreciated all she was doing for him, but it was more than a little smothering.

He got to sleep fairly quick, surprisingly. It must have been exhaustion from the day settling in. Whether it was the concussion or maybe withdrawals from his anti-anxiety meds - David's sleep was full of the strangest dreams. They took him through crazy twists and turns, going on nonsensical tangents that he couldn't really remember in detail upon waking, but he knew he had woken up in the midst of something strange and unsettling. It was also much colder than he remembered.

David shuddered, drawing his blankets over his shoulder so he could tuck under them for more warmth. A cool breeze blew in from his window, ruffling the curtains with a gentle sway. It took him a moment to realize not only was it open, but the screen was out. Confusion swept his features, and he looked at it - trying to figure out how it had ended up in that state. Before he could puzzle the possibilities, though, he got his answer when a familiar voice rose up.

"Wakey, wakey..."

David jumped, sitting upright a bit too fast. It caused him to groan in pain, "Jesus, Matt! You scared the shit outta me. What're you doing here? How'd you get here?"

"I have my ways," he replied mysteriously, heading over to settle on the edge of David's bed - the mattress dipping beneath the added weight. "I also had a ladder and a one in a million chance of getting the right room. Saw your new stepsister half naked, by the way. Niiice tits."

David made a disgusted face. He had come to look at Kalel as more of a sister than the object of sexual desire that most females had been to him up until that point, including Mari. "She's your stepsister, too. And she has a boyfriend who throws a pretty wicked punch."

"I don't really consider any of _this_," he waved his hand around the room. "Part of my family. Apart from you." He fell back on the bed beside David, stealing a corner of the pillow. "What happened to your head?"

"I wish I had an awesome story for that, but in the end I was a casualty of some douchebag and gym class."

"Gimme a name and a face and I'll beat the shit out of him."

David waved it off, "No need. Ian took care of him. Pretty sure he might be nursing his own concussion right about now."

"Ian, Ian...is that the guy you're making out with?"

David balked. "How'd you know?"

"You called me and told me, remember? So what? Are you gay now or something?"

"I'm...I don't know. I gave him a blowjob..."

"...pretty gay."

"And I plan on going all the way with him."

"_Totally _gay."

"But that's the thing. It's just him. I'm not really going around checking out every guy who walks by. I kind of have this theory that no one is a hundred percent straight or gay because there will always be that one exception you would switch teams for. I guess I actually found mine. Or maybe I'm just so pathetic, I'm falling for the first person who shows me the slightest bit of attention..." David lowered his gaze to his hands with a solemn smile.

Matt raised a brow, "_Falling_ for him? As in love?"

David looked up quickly, hands raising in protest, "I didn't mean-"

There was a light knock on the door and the gentle sound of his mother's voice, "David? Is everything okay?"

David and Matt exchanged a shared look of mutual shock before Matt flew off the bed and wedged beneath it just in time for his mother to open the door and poke her head inside. David met her gaze with a strained smile, "I'm fine, Mom. Just getting some fresh air. It was starting to get stuffy in here."

She studied him as though trying to assess the truth of his words. With no other choice but to believe him, she nodded, "Alright, well try not to catch cold. It's chilly outside." As though to emphasize the point, she wrapped the halves of her robe tighter around herself. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks," he watched as she left and then exhaled a sigh of relief.

"She always has to butt into everything," Matt rolled his eyes in annoyance, easing out from his hiding place.

"The concussion has her hovering...probably worried I'm going crazy in here," David flashed a weak smile.

His brother was drawing out a pack of cigarettes, placing one between his lips and lighting up. "Are you?"

David stared at Matt for a moment before he shook his head slightly - the dull ache present, but not throbbing like earlier. "You know, Matt...for the first time in my life, I don't think I am. I'd even go as far as to say..." he reached out, stealing the cigarette away so he could take a drag off of it. When Matt looked at him as though he was nuts, David smiled a smile that was one part mockingly insane but mostly just..._alive._ More alive than he had ever been. "...I'm perfectly normal, and everyone else around me? They're the ones who are fucked up."


	13. Chapter 13

_Author's Notes: x) Enjoy! ...and stay tuned for additional author's notes at the end of the chapter._

* * *

Thursday was fairly uneventful. David felt like crap, so he slept most of the day. His mother hadn't wanted to leave him, but he insisted he would be fine and she didn't need to miss any more work on his behalf. And he had been fine for the most part. A little headachy, still a little dizzy - but sleep warded off the worst of his symptoms. In the afternoon, Kalel stopped by his room with a list of assignments she said Joshua had collected and nervously stammered for her to give him. When David asked about Ian or Jesse, she frowned but told him she hadn't seen either in school that day. And that had been the most eventful thing that happened on Thursday. He hadn't heard from Ian and wondered if Iris managed to pass on the message. He hoped so. He was going through some serious withdrawals from not hearing his voice. It was a bit lonely with only his imagination to get him through the day.

Friday rolled around, and when David woke up in the morning, he felt a hundred times better. Wednesday night and all day Thursday he had mostly stayed in bed, but Friday he felt he had regained his mobility. He could stand without the world swimming around him, and that was a great improvement from the other two days. Walking was a simple matter, and when he discovered he could do it with ease, he got up from his bed and left. David had grown sick of the same four walls of his bedroom, so he headed downstairs for a change of scenery - making a cocoon out of his blanket and shimmying toward the kitchen to get a bowl of cereal. He brought it to the living room where he occupied the couch, flipping through the channels on the big screen tv while he ate.

It was ten in the morning, and everyone had long since left for either work or school, leaving David alone with his boredom and a bowl of sugary cereal. It was that strange point in the day when nothing was really on besides gameshows or entertainment news shows. He supposed he probably could have found something entertaining on the hundreds of movie channels Kenichi owned, but David settled on reruns of Family Feud before tossing the remote to the side.

Back at his old school, David practically lived for sick days - taking more than his fair share of them just to get out of having to deal with his peers or his classes. For the first time in his life, though, he almost wished he was at school. Sure, he would have been in Spanish class right about now, but that would have brought him closer to lunch. He could have hung out with Joshua and maybe found a way to get in touch with Ian himself. It sure beat watching the Bible Thumping Rednecks versus the Family of Stepford Smilers.

David sighed. He wondered what Ian was doing. Did Ian think about him as much as David seemed to be plagued by thoughts of Ian? Probably not. He was pretty sure his would be considered an unhealthy obsession. He couldn't help it, though. Ian had really been the catalyst that brought about all the recent changes in David. When he mulled over everything that had happened the past couple of days, it always led back to Ian. Ian was the beginning, and who knew where it would end. Would things get weird between them if they went all the way? David liked to think they wouldn't, but he couldn't really guarantee that.

He was realistic enough to know what he felt toward Ian was definitely a crush. The daydreaming, the excitement, the way his body reacted, the mild pang of jealousy he felt when he saw Ian talking to Melanie - they were all the collective symptoms of crush fever. Ian might have been able to turn off those emotions, but David couldn't. The only thing he could hope to do was keep them at bay and to himself. Ian would be less likely to indulge in anything with him if he knew David had feelings for him, considering feelings were obviously something he wanted to avoid.

David's eyes were locked on the television, but he was hardly paying attention. He ate his cereal in a trance and drank the milk from the bowl when he finished, depositing the empty dish on the coffee table. He had just been about to go searching for something else to watch when there was a knock on the door. It jarred David out of his thoughts, and he looked toward the main entrance in confusion. Maybe someone had ordered something in the mail? Or maybe it was a Jehovah Witness trying to convert him to their religion?

David dropped his blanket cocoon and leaned over the couch to peer out the window. His heart sped up when he saw the blue Toyota in the drive, and before his mind could even register what it meant, David bolted from the couch toward the door, grabbing the handle and ripping it open.

Sure enough, Ian stood there - cigarette dangling between his lips. He expelled a cloud of smoke before asking, "How's your head?"

It was an unconventional greeting, but so very Ian. David felt as though he could finally breathe. Seeing Ian made everything alright again. "It's better, thanks. Come in." He stepped to the side so Ian could enter.

He wandered in, not bothering to extinguish his cigarette, "No one's home?"

"No. Mom and Kenichi are at work, and Kalel's at school. Doctor ordered me to stay home until Monday, though..."

"Perfect. That's how long I'm suspended for," Ian made the remark absently - as though being in trouble was no big deal. David supposed he was probably used to it by now considering the lifestyle he lived.

"And how bad off is Jesse?"

"I got a couple good punches in before Blake and a few other guys ripped me off him. What pisses me off is the teacher didn't realize he was aiming for you on purpose, and he pretty much got away with it." Ian took a sharp drag in agitation.

"Well he got what he deserved," David looked toward the ground, speaking shyly. "Thanks. For sticking up for me. I appreciate it..."

Ian shrugged it off. It might not have been a big deal to him, but it meant the world to David to know Ian had his back.

"You know, I kept wondering how I was gonna get in touch with you. You never did give me your number. And five days just seemed too long to wait to hear what happened to you."

"I would've stopped in today even if you didn't have Melanie text me."

"Really?" He tried, but failed to keep the excitement out of his voice.

Ian arched a brow at David's enthusiasm. "Yeah..."

"Cool." Awkward. A silence stretched over them, and he fidgeted slightly, not sure where to go from there. "So, um...what do you wanna do?"

Ian casually eyed David up and down, smirking against the filter of his cigarette, "I have a few things in mind, but how about you suggest something first? You're the one who got his head rattled."

David heated with longing at the way Ian's eyes roamed his body. It was hard to concentrate on anything else, and he tried to distract himself from the desire to rip all of Ian's clothes off right then and there. He chewed the skin on the inside of his lip, gesturing further into the house. "Since we're alone, you want a tour of the place?"

Ian nodded his consent and fell into step behind David. And this was how David distracted himself from his unhealthy fixation - by taking on the role of tour guide, leading them from room to room. On the main floor was the living room and its lavish, leather furniture along with the expensive home entertainment system, large dining room with an open concept kitchen full of white cabinets with black granite counter tops, Kenichi's office which was locked and off limits, the laundry room, and the guest bathroom - where they paused so Ian could dump his cigarette butt in the toilet and flush the evidence away. When they went upstairs, David bypassed his room and bathroom, briefly showing Kalel's room and bathroom, the guest bedroom, Mari's bedroom - and the mini tour ended when he reached the master bedroom.

"I've only ever seen this room once," David informed as he stepped inside. "But it's still impressive the second time around."

"If you have enough room for a couch in your bedroom and it's not your bed, then you got way too much space," Ian looked over the sitting area in distaste. It was like a mini living room centered around a bay window. None of these things took away from the large, king size bed in the center of the room, though. And there was still plenty of space on top of that.

"That's not all. Just wait 'til you have a look at this en suite," David walked over to one of the closed doors, twisting the knob to open it up.

Ian rolled his eyes, "You sound like a realtor..." But he walked toward the bathroom regardless.

Ceramic tile floors were polished to a shimmer and paved the way toward a large, glass shower with two shower heads, a vanity with double sinks, and most impressive of all was the magnificently deep jacuzzi that sat as a centerpiece to the bathroom. The toilet was off in its own little section, separated by a pocket door for privacy. All in all, it was an impressive set up for anyone who spent most of their life in a normal, boring house. David imagined Kenichi probably thought it could use a few upgrades, though.

"Seems like your stepdad likes to do everything in excess. Must be overcompensating for something," Ian headed out of the bathroom when he'd seen enough, wandering over to the bed and settling onto the surface. He gave it the bounce test for comfort, but the mattress only absorbed the shock being one of those high tech latex mattresses meant to conform to your body.

David laughed a bit, trailing after him and following suit. "Yeah. I bet. He is Japanese, though. So I guess I can understand..."

Ian chuckled, his eyes coming to rest on David and David was taken in by them - captivated by the beautiful blues. All those feelings from earlier returned in full. Ian's expression took on a darker cast, a sudden change that took David's breath away. "You know what I think...?"

David was almost too caught up in the way Ian's mouth moved to answer, belatedly questioning. "What?"

"We should fuck right here. On his bed."

It took a moment for Ian's words to sink in, and when they did, they caught David off guard. He didn't even have time to regain his composure because as extra incentive, Ian scooted closer and kissed him - tasting of tobacco and something else indistinct. David melted into the kiss, returning it feverishly. It was all happening so fast, he barely had time to process it - but his cock sure did leap with joy, halfway ready for anything in a matter of seconds.

Ian wasted no time, easing David back on the bed (and David was sure the only reason he was so gentle was because of his head injury) before working his fingers up beneath his T-shirt. David hadn't gotten dressed, so all he wore was his T-shirt and boxers which gave Ian easy access. He sucked in a breath against Ian's lips - every touch making David want him even more. He hadn't verbally agreed to do this, and yet he said yes with his entire body.

David's hands lowered, reaching Ian's jeans which he tore open - drawing the zipper down and being rewarded by a semi-erect bulge. At the same time, Ian cupped David's tented boxers, causing him to moan and as his lips parted, Ian took the opportunity to plunge his tongue into the confines of David's mouth. David welcomed this. Their tongues danced together, heightening the experience and making David yearn for more. He arched his back, pressing his groin against Ian's and delighting in the friction. Ian's hand wedged between them, slipping into the hole in David's boxers and curling around his eager cock.

He drew in a sharp breath, parting from Ian's lips. "Mm. _Fuck._"

Ian separated, drawing his hand back at once and David let out a sound of frustration, opening his eyes to watch. Ian took the opportunity to shed his jacket, tossing it to the ground along with his shirt. David's eyes roamed Ian's torso appreciatively. He wasn't a model with chiseled abs or a six pack, but David found him attractive nonetheless. He only belatedly realized he should have been removing his shirt too now that they had the space to do so. Self-consciousness seeped in, and though David knew Ian wasn't going to turn away now, he couldn't help but shy away from the thought of revealing his body because when he looked in the mirror, he didn't see someone attractive. He wasn't like the guys in gym who changed right out in the open. He always went to the stalls. He hated the way he looked, so therefore he thought others must hate it too.

But Ian was different, somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that. So David swallowed his lack of self-worth long enough to draw the T-shirt over his head and toss it to the side. Desire was a good distraction, at least. He watched Ian shimmy out of his jeans, kicking them to the floor - leaving them in the exact same state of dress. And when Ian returned to where he was before, hooking his lips on David's, David delighted in the new sensation of their bodies touching - Ian's warm flesh pressed against his. He closed his eyes and lost himself to the moment, not caring about anything other than this one single person. Ian became his world, his universe, his sole purpose of existing.

Ian's hands trailed David's chest, grazing his sides to reach his waist. They tucked into the band of his boxers and slowly lowered them. David lifted his hips off the bed to make it easier, tangling his fingers in Ian's hair and deepening the kiss. As soon as the undergarments reached his calves, David kicked them off, not caring where they went. Ian's weight left him temporarily as he struggled to undress as well, but their kiss went strong - keeping the flames of passion burning between them. After a moment, he felt Ian lower atop him, naked. There they were, two young, clumsy guys about to engage in the most intimate act. David had never really cared before - longing to lose his virginity in any way possible without the frills of romance. But now that he was in the moment at last, he found he wanted it to be special.

"Wait..." his rational brain fought one final fight. He tapered off of Ian's lips, his eyes opening to focus on him.

Ian went in for a kiss to shut him up, but when he realized the kiss wasn't happening, he looked at David in mild frustration, "_What._"

"I just..." David trailed off. "I don't know. It's all happening so fast."

"Welcome to the world. Welcome to life. It all goes by so quick, even though we live in the present it always seems like we're looking at yesterday," Ian reached out, cupping David's cheeks in a gesture that was surprisingly tender to go along with his strangely profound words. "The most you can do is enjoy the moment before it becomes your yesterday. Enjoy this moment. With me."

There it was. It was what David had been waiting for - something to set this apart from their other sexual encounters, something that made him feel like less of an object of desire in Ian's eyes and more of a person of desire. There was no reason to refuse him now, so he nodded, leaning in to press a light kiss to Ian's lips - his agreement, approval and consent all rolled into one. He was ready.

Ian understood what was unspoken and moved off of David in order to retrieve his pants. At first, David was confused, but when he saw Ian return to the bed with a condom and a little tube of KY jelly, he understood and his heart raced. He uncapped the bottle, squirting a bit of the lubricant in his hand before using it to slick up his fingers. The tenderness was gone and replaced by something predatory, and David felt exhilaration at the thought of being Ian's prey.

Ian's hand ventured between David's thighs, finding his opening before he murmured a single command, "Relax."

It was easier said than done, though, because as soon as one of the fingers plunged inside of him, David tightened against it on reflex. Ian reached out with his free hand to grab David's cock and pump him a few times. The tactic seemed to work, and David relaxed his muscles allowing Ian easier access. He might have been no stranger to masturbation, but David wasn't really one for anal exploration. This was the first time anything had entered there, and as Ian added a second finger and pressed upward - he began to understand how guys could enjoy it. When the bottom of his prostate was hit, he leaked a generous amount of pre-cum - gasping and arching into Ian's ministrations.

"Shit!" He grunted. "Holy fuck, Ian! Fuck me now, goddamnit or I'm gonna lose it here!"

The pressure and budding wave of ecstasy ebbed at once when Ian withdrew, leaving David reeling from the overwhelming sensation. It only served to fuel his lust even more, building it to a raging fire that could only burn itself out with Ian's flame to consume it. He watched impatiently as Ian rolled the condom over his dick like a pro before slathering it up with lubrication. David's breath hitched when he realized this was it - this was the moment he had been waiting for all of his teenage years. In a matter of seconds, he would be able to say he was no longer a virgin.

Ian positioned himself between David's thighs, lining up with his entrance before he began pushing inside of him. David reached out, grasping the bed sheets tightly to distract himself from the pain of being forcibly stretched until Ian had hilted himself deep inside of him. They remained this way for a few seconds, David willing himself to relax before Ian drew back and began a few slow and steady thrusts. Somehow David expected penetration to be more magical - something so spectacular it would be as though fireworks were going off. Instead he felt discomfort and the strange sensation of Ian being inside of him, being one with him, being his first. He grabbed his neglected cock, jerking himself off to keep the pleasure going when all of a sudden, Ian re-angled himself and that was when the fireworks went off.

"Jesus Christ! There! Right there!" David arched desperately against Ian to get him to hit it again.

Ian obeyed his command, groaning out in pleasure, "You're so fucking tight."

David became a writhing mess. Nothing else mattered to him at the moment apart from reaching his peak with Ian and toppling down into the blissful abyss. Pleasure far beyond his imagination stemmed from deep inside - from the sweet spot Ian kept ramming to his aching groin which was rock hard and begging for well-needed release. Ian also seemed to be in the same haze of enjoyment, barely able to keep his eyes open as he rolled his hips, crashing repeatedly against David's. He breathed obscenities into David's ear, coaxing him to cum and spurt all over himself and the bed. David could only mewl in response, having lost his ability to form coherent words a while ago. He felt like he was drowning in a sea of pleasure and couldn't come up for air, swimming in euphoric bliss.

Frequent shudders racked David's entire body as he got close. He wanted to warn Ian of the inevitable, but all he managed was a single: "Gonna-"

And then he groaned in absolute rapture - orgasm crashing into him like a breath of fresh air and a tidal wave pulling him under all at once. It hit every fiber and every nerve, shooting like electricity straight down to his toes. David babbled incoherently as thick globs of cum spewed from his spasming cock with no clear ending in sight. He came hard and he came a lot - making a mess of his stomach, his hand, Ian's chest above him and even leaking onto the bed. It seemed to take everything out of him, and he withered wearily against the mattress, panting as Ian continued to pound inside of him. After a minute or two, Ian reached his peak - and David enjoyed feeling the throb and pulse of Ian's orgasm inside him. More than that, he enjoyed the expression on Ian's face - absolute and intense satisfaction. It summed up how David felt about everything completely.

Ian continued to thrust inside of him, but the movements were slowing as his erection began to dwindle. He finally pulled out, and David felt a hollow emptiness when Ian left him, longing to have the closeness back at once. He watched as Ian peeled off the spent condom, tossing it on the bed for the time being - and David was so relaxed, he didn't even care or think about the mess they had just made of his stepfather's room. Instead, he grabbed his shirt from the floor and used it to wipe up the still warm semen on his stomach before inching closer to Ian and tentatively bringing an arm around his waist. Ian accepted the gesture, or at least he didn't rebuff David, and they stayed like this for a while - saying nothing and simply lingering in a state of post coital euphoria.

David's ass was sore and there was a dull ache in his balls from the intensity of climax, but all in all the world looked a little brighter now that he wasn't looking at it through the eyes of a virgin.

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_Additional Author's Notes: So yaaay. Sexytimes. UM now my question is - I plan on doing a time jump after this. I had planned to do it in the next chapter, but I also thought the smut would take less of this chapter so I could get into a little bit of the aftermath - Ian and David just hanging out after sex and the awkward moments that follow it. Of course, I could always skim over those details in the first few paragraphs of the time jump chapter. So really, it's up to you guys! Do you want a full chapter of aftermath or would it be cool to move on from here with just a few details about what happened and what's become of them two weeks later? lol I feel like the pacing in this story is all out of whack, so I apologize if it is! Either way, thanks for sticking with me and reading!_


	14. Chapter 14

_Author's Notes: So I had a ton of ideas for this chapter, and I wound up scrapping all of them and changing things around, lol. It actually works out better, though, for plans I have in the long term. :) Also happy belated birthday, SirRenais! Hope you had a great one! And high five for January birthdays! My birthday is coming up on the 21st. I think it would be a fantastic birthday present to see a bunch of Iancorn stories that day. Just SAYIN :P_

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After David and Ian had slept together, David wasn't even sure what to say to him. How did they go back to normal conversation after what they had just experienced? He was never good at talking in the first place, but it felt as though nothing he could say would be able to follow up what they had just done - so he soaked up the silence for as long as he could before his concerns about the stains they created settled in, and he had to get up to clean them. Unfortunately, he found that semen was a little more stubborn to get rid of than he originally thought which made him panic. Ian watched his mild freak out before he informed him that white vinegar worked wonders, all the while remaining as calm as possible - a calm David envied until the end of time. Taking Ian's advice, he tore out of the room to find some vinegar, taking the spent condom with him to dispose of completely.

It took a ton of vinegar and even more air freshener to mask the scene as best as possible, and David knew deep down there was no hiding that _something _had happened. The scent alone would linger, no matter how much he tried to air it out. He would just have to create and prepare some excuses in case either his Mom or Kenichi confronted him about it. But those were thoughts that would come later. David had enough stress and wanted to relax, unwind, and enjoy the time he had left with Ian the only way he knew how to enjoy it - so he suggested they get high. Ian agreed, and they spent the rest of their time smoking up David's bedroom, causing all the problems of the world to dissipate

After that day, David's whole world seemed to become Ian. They indulged in each other every chance they got, exhausting nearly ever position that involved Ian's cock up David's ass and finding it nearly impossible to keep their hands to themselves. David would often find Ian's fingers snaking along his crotch beneath the table in Biology, and he usually paid him back when they were driving either to or from school. They became masters of discretion, able to keep the sex off of their faces even when it was going on under the lunch table right in front of Joshua. David was fairly certain it wasn't healthy to have such a fixation on sex with another person, but whenever he was near Ian, it was impossible to ignore his body's yearnings. It was an addiction, a high, and the only time he felt he didn't need it was when he was in the refractory period after fucking.

In the two weeks that went by, a few things had changed. Not only had David gotten better at controlling his orgasms, but he became much more adept at smoking without a single cough. Smoking pot became a recreational regularity and often times, he and Ian would light up in the parking lot before they even left school. Though he didn't try it himself, he did get to see Ian do some harder drugs - and they had one hell of a sex marathon the day Ian mixed E and Viagra. A lot of the time, David rationally thought none of what he was doing was healthy and that his relationship with Ian most certainly wasn't - but considering the only time he felt complete was when he was with him, it was impossible to sever the tie. The only thing he _could _do was anchor himself so he didn't sink nearly as far as Ian obviously had.

Other changes that didn't involve David directly were changes in Joshua. The past week, Joshua's parents could no longer afford the medication to treat his OCD. And at first, even though he was off of it, he seemed fine. But as the days progressed, David could see the subtle changes eating away at his friend - the despair behind his glasses, the raw, sore and bleeding hands he hid in the overly long sleeves of his hoodies, and the way he always seemed to be at war with his own mind, always fighting his impulses and horrible thoughts. One morning before English class, he confided in David that he couldn't stop thinking about all the horrible ways he could die and how every breath was one breath closer to his last. It was becoming a concern for David, to the point where he was half tempted to let Joshua raid his medicine cabinet for something that may have helped - but he only understood anxiety. He couldn't understand what created Joshua's impulses. The only constant thing he could do was make sure to call him up every night at some point to check in and see how he was holding up. If they were talking, then Joshua wasn't doing anything to harm himself at least.

Their little group of three had also grown by one. Iris had abandoned her clique ever since David got his concussion. Even though Melanie was still her best friend, Iris said she was disgusted by Jesse and his buddies so she wouldn't sit anywhere near them at lunch. This meant she joined their group which gave it a strange new balance. Iris was nothing like Ian, Joshua or David. She came from a completely different world full of popularity, pop music, cheerleading and being conventionally pretty. Joshua said she sat with him for the two days he and Ian were out, and all she did was ask questions about David. When prompted to know how he answered, though, Joshua had shrugged with a sheepish smile and said he didn't, he was too busy staring at her breasts the whole time.

She continued to flirt with David, and he didn't mind the attention. Iris wasn't necessarily a bad person to hang around. She was sweet and there were a few movies they both liked that they could talk about, but other than that, he didn't really know what to say - and every day it seemed like her v-neck was getting lower and her breasts were getting higher. Between Iris and Ian, David's sex drive never had a day off.

That day, the four of them had been eating lunch - Iris casually playing footsie with David while Ian worked him up beneath the table. Joshua was lost in his own thoughts, staring out the window - and the only reason David could hold himself back from blowing was because he looked at Josh and wondered if he was okay. But even his concern couldn't kill the mood completely and the only way he could get them to stop was to extricate himself from the situation. David remained casual (something that had rubbed off on him from Ian...no pun intended) and said he'd be back, he had to use the bathroom and went on his way, grabbing his book bag to cover his raging boner.

David made it into the bathroom without incident, taking a moment to brace himself at the sink and take a few deep, calming breaths, "Three. Two. One."

No sooner had he finished his countdown did the door to the bathroom open. David didn't turn around, but watched in the mirror as Ian sauntered inside, a small smirk curving on his lips, "Couldn't handle it, huh?"

"I had both you and Iris working me up. It was a feeling up orgy."

"Well she's not here to get the payoff. I am," Ian started walking toward one of the stalls, making a small gesture with his head to coax David to follow.

"Are you serious?"

Ian stood like a statue, waiting. Obviously, he was.

"Graduating to public bathrooms, huh? And how exactly do you plan on evading detection?" David shook his head in amusement, walking into the stall regardless.

Ian stepped in after him and sealed them in the cramped space, "You'll just have to keep yourself quiet. No moaning like a whore in heat."

He rolled his eyes, unbuttoning his pants, "You're giving yourself waaay too much credit there, compadre."

Perhaps he shouldn't have mocked Ian, because when he did, Ian seemed to put in all the more effort to get him to crack. As it was, he sank to his knees and lifted David's legs to tuck them on his shoulders, giving him easier access to his crotch. He went right to work sucking David off, and since he was in the right mindset to get this over and done with as soon as possible, David knew he wouldn't last long. A few times the doors opened and there were footsteps in the bathroom. It excited him. Just knowing other people were there while they were doing this heightened the experience.

Ian worked his magic. He knew David's body so well by this point that he could locate all his pleasure centers and the right spots to hit - all of which made it nearly impossible to keep quiet. As David hit his peak, even though someone entered the stall beside them, he let out a sharp gasp before he came.

His head tilted back in ecstasy, and he kept his eyes closed until he finished and Ian swallowed the evidence. And when he finished, they finished. Ian got up and pressed his finger to his lips before he opened the door a crack, peering out to see if it was safe. After a second, he opened the door fully and gestured for David to follow suit before their neighbor left his stall. David yanked up his pants, hooking the button back into place before he quickly headed out of the stall and toward the exit - pushing it open at the same time as someone else was pulling it from the other side. The end result nearly had him running into his peer.

"Sor-" the words died in his throat when he saw it was Jesse.

Ian stepped closer to David. It seemed to be his way of saying that he hit Jesse once and wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

"Protecting your little boyfriend from harm?" Jesse's eyes lingered on Ian. "How sweet. Should I write it on the bathroom stalls? Your names with little faggy hearts around them?"

"They were totally doing something in that stall together," JJ stepped out of the one he had occupied right beside Ian and David. "Sick fucks."

Jesse tossed his head back and laughed, "So it is true! Bobby Finnick thought he saw you two banging in the parking lot after school."

David glanced toward Ian, unsure of how to handle this. Things had been fine when it was a secret - it had been comfortable when it was just between them. Now the rumors were going to start. Now people would look at them and just know what was going on. And what did that mean for them? They weren't even a couple. Would Ian avoid him? David mentally cursed his own libido. If he had the will to refuse Ian, he could have prevented the worst possible person from finding out. Ian, however, stood there unperturbed. It almost seemed as though nothing would ever bother him.

"You know, Jess - for being one of the most popular kids in school, you sure do have an obsession with us. I think you hang around your boys more than you do Melanie. Have to wonder if maybe _you're_ the faggot," Ian's tone was level, but there was no mistaking he wasn't messing around. He fully intended to stand up for them if he had to.

His words struck a nerve, and Jesse reached out, fisting Ian's jacket and slamming him brutally against the wall. "Keep running your mouth, Hesuxcocks. I never did pay you back for gym, and you're pretty much begging to be hit right now."

Ian didn't even flinch on impact. Instead, he leveled his cold blue eyes on the stockier male. "Between the two of us, the only one here with a criminal record is me. So you might wanna reevaluate your options there, asshole."

Jesse remained locked where he was, glaring down at Ian, and for a while they stood there - like a snake watching its prey before the inevitable strike. David began to form a plan of action, eyeing JJ's position and likelihood of getting involved. He was sure he could get to Jesse faster than he could get pulled off, but what could he do to make sure he never bothered them again? If he was going to fight, David wanted to be sure he never had to again. He had to win this battle and all the other ones by fucking Jesse up. But before he could complete his strategy, Jesse shrank down from the fight. Apparently Ian's words sank in and made him not want to take the risk, or maybe he hadn't forgotten the head punches he received in gym that day. Either way, David relaxed. The immediate threat was over.

"You're a waste of air, Hecox. A junkie, fucked up loser. Doesn't surprise me you'd be chasing down Moss's cock..."

Ian shrugged, readjusting his jacket before flashing Jesse a smug expression, "Yeah? Well maybe it'll surprise you that I've been fucking your girlfriend ever since you started dating her."

With those words, Ian left the scene - and David spared a glance toward Jesse. He saw the shock, rage, disbelief...and a hint of confused concern contort on the guy's features. David almost felt bad for him. Almost. It was easy to say he deserved the emotional anguish and more after everything he put them through, but David could empathize with one thing. Jesse obviously cared about Melanie and finding out your significant other was sleeping around behind your back had to be a terribly painful blow. The only thing worse was having feelings for someone you were sleeping with while knowing they were sleeping with that first person's significant other.

So David did a little damage control, even if it was a lie; even if it threw himself under the bus. If Melanie suddenly became available, what would happen with Ian? Would he go and be with her? David couldn't take the risk. He licked his lips and addressed Jesse, "He's fucking with you. It's not true. Because me and him are the ones who are fucking. So spread the rumor that we're together or whatever bullshit you're gonna do. I just...don't wanna see things messed up between you and Melanie. She's a nice girl."

Jesse regarded him with brows furrowed in confusion. David wasn't sure what to make of the look, so he simply headed toward the door to leave - opening it up before Jesse called his name. "Yo, Moss..."

He paused and turned his attention to his bully; his antagonist in this school ever since the first day. Maybe that was why David was so shocked when he saw the expression that awaited him.

The smile Jesse offered was all dimples and gratitude - not the typical cocky confidence he normally presented, but one of genuine relief. It was the least douchey thing David had ever seen out of him, and he began to understand a little why Jesse was so popular. David didn't like the guy, and yet when he saw that smile, he almost did.

"Thanks."

Taken by surprise, all David could utter was a simple: "Y-yeah." And he then left the bathroom, feeling even more like a piece of shit. Here Jesse had been so grateful to him; grateful for his lie. It was only going to make the pain that much more agonizing when he really did find out about Melanie's and Ian's affair.

* * *

David and Ian had just finished having sex in Kenichi's double headed shower - the steam still lingering in the room as they grabbed a few towels to dry off. David ran the towel through his hair, leaving the strands spiked and messy. Ian wrapped his around his waist, and David took the opportunity to step up behind him, pressing a few exhausted, lazy kisses along his shoulder before he lingered there, cheek pressed against skin.

"Hey, Ian?"

"Mmm?"

"Are you worried about what Jesse's gonna do?"

"Why would I waste my time worrying about something like that?"

"I don't know..." David shrugged, looking off to the side. "Reputation, maybe? I mean, do you really want people to know about _us_?"

"Reputation's never mattered to me before, and why do you think it's going to go downhill just because we're fucking? Do you really think that low about yourself? Or is it _you_ you're worried about?"

David withdrew from Ian abruptly, taken aback by his words. He wanted to protest, but a part of him wondered if he was ashamed of the rest of the school finding out about his dirty little secret. "Maybe I am. Not because of you. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Ian. But we're not a relationship..." he tensed and released his grip on his towel, keeping his eyes locked on the fabric. "And people might say stuff about that."

"And that matters to you?"

He still kept his eyes averted, "Well, _yeah_. It's always been an issue of mine - worrying about what everyone thinks about me, wanting to blend in with my peers for once. I had that here. I don't want things to change, unless..."

"Unless what?"

David finally looked up at Ian. He stood there, staring at him for a moment before he stepped forward to cup his face. David closed the distance and kissed him - not a desperate, lust-filled kiss - but one that was tender, soft and hopeful. Ian remained where he was for a moment before he tapered off with a sigh.

"I told you, I don't want a relationship..."

David's hands remained in the air as Ian stepped out of them before his arms fell lax at his side with an audible slap. "Why? What would be so different from what we have right now?"

"I have my reasons, David..."

"Is it Melanie?"

Ian looked at him sharply.

David continued to press the subject, "Is she the one you're holding out for? And that's why you don't wanna get tied down with me?"

"I already told you..."

"_What_? Told me _what_? You told me the basics, you told me what you wanted me to know, and then you just keep everything else to yourself. You tell me a lot of things, but you never tell me _why_. _Why_ don't you want a relationship with me? The truth, Ian."

Ian stared at him, a long, silent, unreadable stare. And then he shook his head, abandoning his towel in favor of storming out of the room and picking up the discarded pieces of his clothing, "I'm not dealing with this."

Inside, David panicked. This was the exact opposite of what he wanted to happen. He couldn't lose Ian. Not now! So he rushed out the bathroom door after him, "Ian, wait! I'm sorry. Forget I said anything..."

Ian was already yanking his pants up and clasping them in the front, "You don't forget. You _can't_ forget. Even if you go on as if nothing ever happened, it's still there. And this is exactly what I wanted to avoid." He threw on his shirt and jacket before snatching up his discarded keys.

"Don't go. Please, Ian!" David scurried out after him, bracing himself on the banister of the stairs.

But it was too late. Ian was already out the door, and there was nothing David could do to stop him. While still gripping the stair railing, he sank to his knees - his heart pounding in his throat and chest constricting, making it hard to breathe. It had been a couple weeks since his last panic attack, and this one was far worse than all the others. It felt as though his whole world was crashing in on him and crushing the air from his lungs. In a way it just had. Everything hurt, and David didn't know how he could keep going forward without Ian by his side.


	15. Chapter 15

_Author's Notes: So I WAS going to hold off until tomorrow to post this just because I'm sleepy and wanted to reread it with fresh eyes, but you guys made me want to update ASAP. Thanks so much for the comments and the support! And...lol. So I'm 15 chapters in and only NOW does Anthony get to take part in the story. sob. What is pacing? The sad thing is I'm not even anywhere NEAR the end of the story. orz neverending storyyyyy~ haha anyway, back to warnings: I don't condone drug use, and this chapter scratches the surface of addiction. Reader discretion advised._

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David hadn't slept at all. He was up the entire night wondering if he should call Ian and try to explain - even though he wasn't sure what he would explain. It was true, he wanted to be with Ian. His emotions had always been there but became even more skewed as soon as they had started sleeping together. It was also true Ian had told him he didn't want things to get messy, but David thought maybe he had changed his mind. A relationship wasn't getting messy, it was just getting exclusive - and considering they spent most of their free time together anyway, what would be the harm?

Unless Ian wasn't exclusive. What if he went and slept with Melanie after he got done being with David? Or worse yet - someone he didn't even know? They may not have been in a relationship, but it didn't make the thoughts hurt any less. And those were the things he took to bed with him, mulling over hypothetical scenarios and ways to get Ian back. When it became clear sleep wasn't happening, he got up and paced until the sky outside began to lighten and it grew closer to time for school - time to see Ian.

He didn't even know whether or not Ian would give him a ride that morning, but he wasn't going to drag his feet when it came to getting ready. He dressed in a rush, heading to the bathroom to brush his teeth and comb his hair, pausing to take in his reflection. The mirror image staring back at him seemed to be the embodiment of his fatigue - pale with sunken eyes which only made the dark circles stand out starkly. He looked every bit as much of a mess as he felt, but there was nothing he could do about it. He shook his head before returning to his room to collect his book bag. David slung the strap over his shoulder and was prepared to leave when his door swung open. He blinked in surprise, barely registering that the disheveled girl who stood before him in her light pink pajamas was Kalel.

There were tears streaming down her face and she swallowed hard, extending her hand to show an empty amber bottle. "I need more."

This distracted him from his own situation, filling him with a mounting concern, "Kalel?" And then he finally registered what she was holding. "Holy shit, Kalel! How much did you take? There were 24 tablets in there!"

She sniffed, wiping her nose on the back of her hand, "I started taking two a day when the pressure was too much. I can't deal with it..." Her eyes flooded, droplets spilling over her cheeks as she looked at him.

There was such despair in her demeanor and voice, it broke David's heart because he'd been there before; he knew these emotions well. "Shhh..." He stepped forward and enveloped her in his arms, drawing her close. "Shhh. It's okay. Take time away from everything. You still have two weeks before the recital."

Kalel bawled against his chest, her knees giving out and causing both of them to collapse to the floor. "My whole life is riding on that day. I can't blow it! I _can't._ I don't have a backup plan if I do..." She looked up at him, her lips trembling. "Everything is so fucked. Please, just get me more. _Please._"

David felt as though he shouldn't. He knew it wasn't a good idea. Kalel was using them as a solution, not a crutch. And Ativan wasn't a drug to mess around with. Still, he couldn't stand seeing her this way. So he swallowed his feelings on the matter, biting the inside of his lip. "I'll get a refill, but only if you promise me you won't use it anymore after the recital is over."

Relief washed over her damp face, "Thank you..."

"Promise me," he remained firm.

"Yes," she brought her hands up to wipe her eyes. "I promise."

David took the empty pill bottle from her hands, "Good. Now hurry up and get dressed. You're gonna be late."

Kalel shook her head rapidly, climbing up to her feet. "I'm not going. I can't go like this. I'm such a mess, I can't concentrate. I can't even see straight. And I can't see Anthony this way..." There was a quiver in her voice that hinted at something more. Were they having problems? "Can you and Ian hang back a bit just so you can tell him I'm not gonna make it? He should be here any minute otherwise I'd call him."

David opened his mouth to express his uncertainty at Ian actually being there, but he closed it and nodded after her question. He hadn't spoken to Anthony since the day Ian and Anthony ran into each other at the house, and Anthony seemed to be avoiding coming over ever since then. Even though they had Spanish class together, there weren't many opportunities to talk when they sat at the opposite sides of the room - so David didn't really know what Anthony thought of him, if he hated him for being associated with Ian or if he was indifferent to his existence. He supposed he was about to find out.

He spared Kalel a final glance, afraid she might break again without the support - but she seemed to be steady and stable, offering him a tiny wave as he left the room. David made his typical detour to the kitchen, meeting his Mom in there and handing her the Ativan container.

"Mom, I need a refill..."

The woman looked at it and then back at him, growing increasingly concerned, "Oh, sweetie. Is everything okay? You don't look very well. Did you sleep? Those are some horrible dark circles..."

"I'm fine."

"It's not Matt, is it?"

David was surprised by the question as well as the harshness of her tone - the accusation, "N-no. Matt has nothing to do with it. I just have a lot of tests, and the stress with the studying is starting to get to me. That's all."

She regarded him skeptically. She didn't believe him, and David wondered if she had seen Matt that night a few weeks ago when he dove under the bed. He opted not to say anything more on the subject, grabbing his lunch from the counter and tucking it in his bag. Finally, she spoke up. "I'll refill the Ativan on the way home from work, but I thought you stopped taking this a while ago. Didn't it make you really nauseous?"

David forced a smile, "The benefits outweigh the side-effects in this case. I only need it for the next couple of weeks to get me through the worst of the exam-related anxiety. Then I'll be back to the regular cocktail..."

"You shouldn't mix and match like that. As a matter of fact, we should probably talk to Kenichi before we get a refill - to make sure it's safe."

"_Mom_, can we just leave him out of my problems for a little while? It's just for a couple weeks, and not even every day. I think I have enough experience to know what I can handle..."

She pursed her lips, but slowly gave in, nodding in response before changing the subject, "Well, your friend Ian should be here any minute, so I won't keep you. Have a good day at school..."

David felt a sharp pang at the mention of Ian, but he ignored it. Even if he didn't see Ian now, he would see him at school. And then he could set things right. "Yeah. Oh...by the way, Kalel's not going to school. She's feeling sick."

"Oh no. Does she need anything?"

"Just some bed rest, I think. But...try to be extra nice to her later. Don't ask her anything about how school is going. It's been very stressful for her. And pass that message along to Kenichi too, while you're at it," David offered a wave. "Bye, Mom. See you later."

He went toward the door, sparing a glance at the ornate grandfather clock near the entrance. Ian would have normally been there by now. David frowned to himself and tucked his feet into his pre-tied sneakers before heading out onto the porch. He squinted down the long driveway, hoping to catch sight of the familiar blue Toyota climbing up the hill. But there was nothing, and as he stood for five more minutes - it dawned on him he was going to have to take the bus. He frowned and walked down the stone steps to the driveway - beginning the long trek down the extra long path. He was only a quarter of the way down when Anthony's car appeared, chugging up the blacktop. David got out of the way and walked in the grass, coming to a pause when he was sure Anthony could see him. He waved his arms to get his attention, and Anthony began to slow down, eventually coming to a stop and rolling the window down.

"Kalel's not feeling good so she's staying home. She just started throwing up," David was the master of sick excuses, so the lie rolled off his tongue with ease.

"Is she alright? Does she need anything?" Anthony didn't seem as though anything out of the ordinary was going on between him and Kalel - maybe it had only been David's imagination.

"Just sleep will do her good..." And with that, David started to walk again. He didn't even know what time the bus went by their home. For all he knew, he might have missed it already.

"Hey..." Anthony called out and he paused before posing the question. "You need a ride?"

David stopped in his tracks, raising a brow in confusion. Of all the things Anthony could have said, that was probably the last thing David expected. He couldn't even remember saying more than a few words to Anthony, so for him to offer a ride, especially without Kalel there, was surprising to say the least. "Wouldn't it be weird after the whole...Ian thing?"

Anthony rolled his eyes, "Get in. I think you deserve an explanation, anyway."

He hesitated, sparing one final, lingering look toward the end of the driveway. No Ian. David sighed, defeated, but his curiosity got the better of him and he clambered into the passenger seat. They drove up the short distance David had walked in order to turn around and head on their way. The car was definitely noisier than Ian's and had a distinct rattle David didn't remember from the last time. He wondered if they were going to break down half way there, but Anthony didn't seem too bothered. He casually adjusted the volume on the stereo, turning it down a bit, but he didn't start talking until they were about a quarter of the way to school.

"Ian and I used to be best friends, you know. We grew up together and did everything together. So we got the idea to start a band. Call it Smosh and play the type of music that should be out. None of the shit you hear on the radio these days..." He wrinkled his nose in distaste before gesturing idly at David's side of the car. "Can you hand me my CD case? It's in the glove box."

David popped open the door and dug it out, placing it in Anthony's awaiting hand. With a master degree in multitasking, Anthony continued to drive while simultaneously opening the CD sleeve, flipping through it before finding the one he was looking for. He put it into the stereo which was the only modern looking part of the whole car. It took a few seconds before the sounds of a slowly driving beat and a crescendo of bass and guitars filled the speakers. They became louder and louder until suddenly stopping, and then going into a killer beat. David listened to the song with a mounting awareness, or a deja vu. He had heard this before. As a matter of fact, this was something that had been the background music of a lot of rides with Ian to or from school.

"Not to brag, but I think we were pretty fuckin' sick. We were booking shows like crazy, too. It started out with gigs at parties and then at a few dodgy night clubs. But then we started getting into bigger venues. And with the bigger venues came a bigger following. We played with bands like Job for a Cowboy, Chimaira, and All that Remains. We recorded some of our stuff, too, and put it out on the internet which got us a national following. People actually started to know who we were and they were ordering our crappy merch." He paused to laugh. "I mean, seriously. None of us knew how to make shirts or cds. You should've seen the crap we put out for five bucks - and people actually bought it, which was the sad thing. For three high school kids, that was a pretty big deal..." there was a fondness in Anthony's voice - a longing for the past.

David could sense the 'but.' He gnawed on the inside of his lip, waiting for the point where the story went south.

Anthony drew in a deep breath, keeping his eyes on the road, "Ian's issue with drugs started forming around the time when things were picking up. The band scene ain't really the most wholesome place to be, and a lot of the guys we played shows with would use. When it was just grass, it was no big deal. But then it escalated to acid, shrooms, E, coke...smack. Ian wasn't the only one who got dragged down because I'm not gonna claim I was innocent and drug free, but I had things I wanted more. I could focus on those things and not get drawn down that road. Ian wasn't so lucky. He started becoming dependent, and it got to the point where he just didn't feel right unless he had something in his system to fuck him up."

He paused, his next words growing distant, as though he was trying to separate himself from the story in order to tell it without all the emotions getting in the way, "It's an expensive habit to form. He started blowing through his money really fast, and then he'd ask me to borrow some. He was my best friend, so of course I was gonna lend it to him. But then he wanted too much. No matter what I gave him, it was never enough. He'd always need more. Now, at this time it was about to be summer and we had just finished recording our album with an indie, no name company. We put together a stash of money to go on a mini tour, just the three of us. We were gonna hit up the west coast and had already booked the clubs. But none of us realized how deep Ian had sunk, and to make a long story short, by the time we went to go on tour, Ian had managed to steal all the cash we'd saved up. He sold his drums, and worst of all - my Dad got me a new guitar for my birthday. It wasn't some cheap ass thing either. It was a Schecter Diamond series, customized specifically for our band. The thing was worth six hundred easily. And then one night, it was gone. I left it over at Ian's garage where we practiced, and when I went there the next day to get it, I found Ian in his room with a few grams of dope, a needle in his arm, and worst of all no guitar..."

David's eyes widened. He had maintained his silence up until this point, but now he couldn't help but ask, "What did you do?"

Anthony laughed, but it was the same humorless laugh he'd heard from Ian the day he and Anthony had their confrontation. He turned off the music abruptly, ripping the disk out of the slot and cramming it back in the case, "I beat the shit out of him, of course. I told him he was ruining his life, and I wasn't gonna stand by and watch it happen anymore. I told him I wanted nothing to do with him, and that he was out of the band. I told him I never wanted to see him again and if he showed his face around me, I'd kill him."

"...and what did he say?"

He shrugged, "Nothing. He was so fucking high, I doubted he even knew what was going on or cared. He just sat there with a dopey grin on his face, lost to his own addiction."

"...wow," David said on a breath, sinking back in his seat. He had no idea Ian was that bad off. From what David knew of him, he seemed, well, in control.

"I'm not gonna tell you who you should hang out with, but I did wanna give you that warning. I made the mistake of trusting Ian two years ago, and while he might've changed now - I wouldn't make the mistake of trusting him again. Just be careful," Anthony tossed the CD case in the backseat, sparing David a glance. "And because it's an obligatory boyfriend thing to say - if you put Kalel at risk, I'll have to kick your ass."

Kalel was at risk from more than Ian if her meltdown that morning had been anything to go by, but he could understand the sentiment all the same. "Got it," David said simply and then fell into contemplative silence.

He didn't want to get into his problems with Ian, even though Anthony was probably the one who knew him best and could offer good advice, or at least insight into how Ian dealt with relationships. But the subject felt taboo. He hadn't talked about it at length with anyone since it started, and the only ones he confessed anything to were Kalel and weirdly enough Jesse. Truthfully, it was all so complicated, he didn't even know where to begin. David had so much to think about, he wasn't sure what to do with this new piece of knowledge he received. The only thing he was certain about was his uncertainty. He definitely didn't know how to face Ian after everything that happened between them the day before.

As they approached the school, a feeling of dread pooled in the pit of his stomach. David wasn't looking forward to what today had to bring.


	16. Chapter 16

_Author's Notes: So sorry for the delay in posting this. I got a little stuck trying to mold the scenes to my liking. Hopefully I did the trick, though, and you guys like it! Random complaint, but why are we getting so much Ianshire on gamebang lately? Noooo. Bring back my Iancorn! All my cries. haha anyway, hope you enjoy and thanks for reading!  
_

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By the time lunch rolled around, David's nerves were going haywire. He hadn't seen Ian all morning, but then again - that wasn't entirely unusual. Apart from riding in with him and hanging out before their first period classes, David normally didn't see very much of Ian before lunch. But now, if he was at school, seeing him at the table was inevitable, and that left David feeling nervous. He still had no idea what he was going to do or say when he saw him. All throughout the day, he thought about Ian - mulling over his situation. And when he wasn't thinking about his situation, he thought about what Anthony told him and if it was possible Ian was still using heroin. He hadn't ever done it in front of David, but that didn't mean he didn't use it in his spare time. If things were as bad as Anthony said, though, he would be using every chance he got. It wasn't the type of thing that just got better over time and exposure, so David thought it was safe to conclude Ian had kicked the worst of his addictions. But it was still there. The addiction would never truly go away, and was David ready to move forward knowing this?

As he thought about it, he realized he was. David was by no means perfect. He had more than his fair share of issues, but when he was with Ian, he forgot about those issues. They could work through their problems together and in time grow to be, well, not perfect by society's standards, but perfect for one another. The hardest part was making Ian realize this.

David trudged down the hall, feeling like he was walking to a funeral. What did he say? How did he make things better again? He was so consumed by his thoughts that even though he was dragging his feet to the cafeteria, he approached the table before he knew it. Joshua was already sitting there, reading through a strategy guide. But apart from him, the table was empty.

David sank into the seat beside his friend, unpacking his lunch, "Hey...have you seen Ian?"

"No," Joshua answered - short and blunt.

The shortness surprised David. Even though Joshua had become more withdrawn without his medication, he had still been friendly and talkative. David left it alone and didn't comment. Everyone seemed to be having their problems, and Joshua was no different. Why was everyone falling apart around him?

"What're you reading?" David figured he could distract them both with conversation. It wasn't very effective on his part, though, because he kept looking at the door and scanning the tables for any sign of Ian.

Joshua simply adjusted the book so he could flash David the cover and answer his question without answering it verbally.

"Is it any good?"

The question seemed to be the final straw. Joshua slammed the book down on the table, "Why are you talking to me! Can't you see I'm concentrating on this?!"

The outburst astonished David, and he stared at Joshua in bewilderment. Slowly, he recovered enough to mumble, "Sorry."

Everyone dealt with their stress differently, and Joshua was finally cracking under the pressure. David wondered if this was a reparable crack or if his friend would shatter. He had to do something for him. David was the only one who got it - who knew how damaging anxiety and depression could be. Joshua's parents most certainly didn't, otherwise they would have never taken him off his medication. If someone had cancer, you didn't stop giving them medicine because you couldn't afford it and expect them to get better. Why didn't people treat mental illness with the same respect as any other sickness?

He had been about to interrupt Joshua again to try and diffuse the building knot of tension when Iris arrived, taking advantage of Ian not being there by sinking into his normal spot next to David. She smiled, setting her tray down. "Hi, Josh." And then a more meaningful look was spared toward David. "Hi, David."

"Hey, Iris," David tried to keep the annoyance out of his voice. That was Ian's seat. What if he was still coming? David flashed a hopeful glance to the doorway, but there was no sign of him.

Joshua, on the other hand, closed his eyes in irritation and sank further into his book, not saying a word to either of them.

"You know...there's a dance coming up. And it would be a lot of fun to go together," she bit her lip and looked so appealing when she did so.

David nearly took the bait, his hormones jumping at the prospect. But he knew deep down it wouldn't be right. Not because he planned to go to the dance with Ian or anything because c'mon, how weird would that be? But because he wasn't interested in Iris, and there would be no way she would accept it as a 'friendly outing.'

"Maybe..." his response was noncommittal, and he looked toward the door again.

Iris seemed appeased because 'maybe' wasn't an outright 'no,' so she turned to Joshua, "You should come too! I don't think you've ever been to a dance before, and you'd have a great time."

Joshua looked up at her over the top of his glasses; the words cold, "No thanks. I wouldn't want to be more of a third wheel than I already am."

"You wouldn't-" she started to protest, but David interrupted her.

"Josh, you're not a third wheel."

"Oh yeah? Sure as hell feels like it. When is the last time you hung out with me outside of school, huh? It's always Ian this or Ian that. You only care about him! Hell, I'm sure the only reason you even sit over here with me is because of him, isn't it?"

"What? No!"

"Bullshit!" He threw his guide down on the floor and pushed himself up to his feet. By now, they had attracted the attention of the students closest to their table. "I'm tired. I'm just so tired of Iris being here, and you and Ian. I'm tired of being tired, and being so messed up that even though I FINALLY have people around me, all I get to do is watch as they'd rather hang out with each other. No one who sits here is interested in me. They're all interested in _you._" His eyes leveled on David in accusation.

David swept his gaze around the cafeteria, noticing how the noise around them seemed to die down as everyone watched the potential fight brewing, "Josh, calm down. You don't mean any of what you're saying..."

"Like hell I don't!"

"It's been stressful for you without..." he trailed off, not wanting to talk about Joshua's medication in front of a good portion of their classmates. "Well, it's been stressful. I get that. But pushing your friends away isn't going to help anything. All this time, Ian's been there for you. And I mean it when I say you're the best friend I've ever had. The _only _friend I've ever had. Please just calm down. Take a few deep breaths and focus on your game..."

David stooped down to pick up Joshua's fallen strategy guide, holding it out as a peace offering. He didn't know at what point he became everyone's therapist, but it wasn't a role he was happy to take on considering how many issues he had of his own.

Joshua regarded the book in David's hands, appearing to contemplate it. And for a second, David thought the storm had blown over. That was until Joshua ripped the guide out of his hands and dropped it onto the table. "This is my seat. It's always been my seat before any of you guys came to sit with me. So I want you to leave."

"Josh-" David protested.

He slid his glasses up the bridge of his nose in resolution, "Just go. I don't wanna see any of your faces here. And you can pass that onto Ian when you see him, too."

David didn't budge, staring at him in disbelief. Did he really just kick them out of sitting there? But more than that, did David successfully lose two of the people he cared most about in less then twenty-four hours? How did his world get flipped upside down when just a few days ago, he was on top of it? David regarded Joshua sadly, but respected his wishes without further argument. Joshua seemed like a bomb ready to explode, and if David could extricate himself in order to give him some temporary sanity, he would. It didn't mean he wasn't going to try and work it out later, though.

David repacked his lunch and slung his book bag over his shoulder, glancing over at Iris to see if she was doing the same. She was, but she appeared completely offended by Joshua's seemingly out of nowhere tirade. She didn't know Joshua; she didn't understand what he was going through. To her, he was just that lonely kid no one liked and to associate with him would be social suicide. Which now, in her mind, his loneliness was justified after how he acted. David wished he could explain to her and get her to see it wasn't that way, but how could he? She came from a normal world.

As he looked around for a seat, someone called out his name. David turned to see it was Jesse, waving the pair of them over and gesturing at the empty seats before them. It was probably where Iris would have gone, considering Melanie was there, but as he looked over his shoulder toward Joshua, he saw Joshua watching him. David's move here was critical. The absolute worst thing he could do to Joshua right now was sit with Jesse and his gang - even though, out of everyone in the cafeteria, they were probably the most welcoming. As an act of appreciation, Jesse hadn't told anyone about David and Ian. Or at least if he did, no one was making a big deal out of it. Maybe he was holding the information over his head to use at a later time, but for some reason, David doubted it. The way he was inviting them over now seemed like a friendship offering; a completely honest and genuine truce. But it didn't matter. To sit with him now would break Joshua even further.

David shook his head at Jesse before looking beyond him. It was there he saw Anthony, eating lunch by himself without Kalel there to keep him company. It was there he saw his golden opportunity seat. David carried his things over to the table and paused before it.

"Mind if we sit here?"

Anthony glanced up at David and then at Iris before he shrugged, "Go ahead."

"I can't believe Joshua just did that to you. He should feel honored you even gave him the time of day," Iris shook her head as she placed her things on the table.

David looked at her harshly, "If that's how you see it, then you don't get it at all. I'm the one who was honored to be his friend."

He spared one last glance toward Joshua, who had gone back to reading his guide. David had to find a way to get that friendship back.

* * *

The day was over, and there was no sign of Ian. David figured he may have been avoiding him at lunch, but when he went to his last couple of classes for the day, Ian wasn't there. It was strange being alone, and the loneliness ate away at him, giving way to a general apathy. He didn't try during gym, and he hardly paid any attention during Bio. There were too many problems at the moment, because not only did he not have Ian, but he lost Joshua as well. Still, he felt things with Joshua were fixable, and he vowed to do whatever was in his power to make it right between them. Unlike things with Ian, David had an idea of what he could do for Josh - and he would put the plan into motion as soon as he got home.

Before he could even ponder how to get home, though, Anthony found him in the hall and asked if he needed a ride, claiming he wanted to go visit Kalel anyway. David gladly agreed and left with him. They didn't talk much. It had been the same way during lunch, and David came to realize Anthony, like Ian, wasn't a man of many words. He did, however, seem far more open than Ian. For one, Anthony had told him the story about their torn friendship, and two, whenever David asked a question, whether it was about his band or about him and Kalel, he would answer it freely without either avoiding the topic or changing it completely. He didn't seem like that bad of a guy, and though metal was still in his heart, he said his current band had more of a rock edge and that David should come by sometime and have a listen. David agreed to be polite, but at the moment he wasn't thinking about anything other than his current broken relationships and his complete lack of sleep.

David and Anthony parted ways when they arrived at the house. He hoped Kalel was in a much better state than she had been in the morning, and she wouldn't be too upset about Anthony just showing up. From the sound of things, she was busy plucking away melodies on her keyboard - and David ventured to guess she had been at it all day. He left it well enough alone and headed to his room, sealing himself inside and going to his desk. He opened the drawer where he stashed his weed and took it out, craving the lack of care and general happiness that went along with smoking it. But after giving it some thought and all that thought reminding him of Ian, he tucked it back into his drawer. He had to deal with everything without fucking himself up. So instead of passing the next couple of hours the easy way, he was left alone on his bed to relive his anguish and despair.

At one point, he was so overwhelmed by a desire to hear Ian's voice that he got up, grabbed the phone and dialed his number. Even though his call went directly to voicemail, and even though David hung up after listening to the message, something inside of him felt a little satisfied just hearing Ian's recording. It was a tiny fix to his overall cravings, but it at least staved off the worst of his nagging addiction to the guy.

He flopped back on the bed and attempted to take a nap until Kenichi got home. The attempt was a failure, though, and all he accomplished was laying there, staring at the ceiling as the hours passed. The sky outside began to darken, and evening eventually settled into the Takahashi household. Evening was accompanied by dinner, an awful lot of questions from his Mom and Kenichi to Kalel about her health, and his Mom pulling him aside after dinner to give him the Ativan. David thanked her, pocketing the medication, and before he went upstairs to give it to Kalel, he stopped by Kenichi's office. David drew in a deep breath and knocked to announce his presence.

Kenichi looked up from his stack of papers, appearing mildly surprised before he beckoned him forward, "David? Come in, come in. What can I do for you?"

David felt awkward, trying to get help from a man he didn't necessarily like. But considering he was of stepfather status, helping him was kind of in the job description, wasn't it? "I have a friend..." He began, only taking a seat when Kenichi motioned to the cushioned arm chair beside the bookshelf. His eyes skimmed the books for a moment before he continued. "He has obsessive compulsive disorder, but his parents don't have the money to get him the medication he needs that was helping him."

Kenichi nodded, but remained silent to prompt David to keep talking. David knew the therapist tactics by heart, and hated being baited by them even more, but he didn't really have much of a choice but to go along with them now.

"He's been getting worse and worse. He says things sometimes that has me worried and seems to have such a fixation on death. I'm starting to think if he doesn't get back on his medication soon, he's going to kill himself..."

"You wouldn't be entirely off base with that assumption," Kenichi said empathetically.

David was filled with hope. Kenichi was agreeing. He understood and he saw the dangers. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all, "Yeah! So I was thinking, if it would be alright with you, maybe you could provide the medication for him. He's a good kid, and I would do anything to pay you back..."

Kenichi's expression remained unreadable until he let out a long sigh, "Unfortunately, I'm not in a position where I can help your friend."

The hope he felt moments ago sank down into his stomach, "What?"

"When it comes to underage individuals, it's not as simple as just 'spotting the money.' The request must come directly from the parents, and there are many legal issues I could be drawn into even still."

"But...but you agreed! He could kill himself. _He could die!_"

"Yes. It is a very real possibility. And one in which I would be sorry for the loss. But unfortunately, I can't risk my job or my position to help your friend in unorthodox manners."

David felt sick. He couldn't believe what he was hearing, "You would stand by and let someone suffer just so you could keep your job, even though you had the power to help them?!"

"David," Kenichi began in a tone that was strained patience. "You're twisting my words. It's not as though I don't wish to help, but it's simply not in my means."

"No. I think you're the one twisting your own goddamn words because if you really wanted to help, you would!"

"I can understand your frustration and anger at the situation. But you need to understand lashing out won't solve anything. Things feel beyond your control, so often we get angry and the anger becomes misdirected."

"Don't you fucking psychoanalyze me! Don't you dare! I'm not one of your millions of clients. I don't need you looking at me like I'm the one with issues. Why don't you try working on some of your own, huh? How about not making it so fucking obvious you prefer Mari over Kalel?!"

The impassive and unreadable expression was gone, consumed by an anger so very visible on Kenichi's face. David felt nothing but satisfaction after seeing it. "How _dare_ you. You have no right to come into my house and tell me how to raise _my_ children. I love both of my daughters!"

"Right. That's why Kalel is so happy and carefree, right? Because she has her father's love and caring support?"

"Get out," Kenichi said and then clarified in case David didn't understand his true meaning. "Get out of my house!"

"Fucking gladly! And by the way, I hope you enjoy sleeping in the same bed that I got fucked in for the first time!" David shouted back and then stormed out of the room.

His mother hovered around the corner wringing her dish towel apprehensively after having heard the yelling. She began to question David as to what was going on, but he ignored her - vaulting up the steps and slamming the door behind him. He closed his eyes to ward off the anger and compulsive urge to trash the room, and when he opened them again, he saw Matt standing there - hovering near the open window with an upraised brow.

"Dude, what's going on?"

David moved past him to grab his backpack, dumping all the books, notebooks and papers onto the floor, "I'm leaving."

"Fucking _finally_. I've been telling you to for years! What's your plan?"

"I don't know," David filled his bag with some clothes and personal belongings, unzipping the front pouch and tossing his weed inside.

Matt went over to David's nightstand and lifted a picture frame off of it, handing it over to him. David took the photo, surprised to see it was an old Christmas photo of him and his Mom - one taken well after Matt had been living with his father. Why would he give this to him when he hated their mother?

"I'll help you figure it out. We're a team, yeah?"

David forced a smile to match the one Matt wore, accepting the photograph without question and tucking it away in his stuffed book bag. "Yeah. We are."

"Well c'mon...let's go. You're gonna love the freedom, bro," Matt headed to the open window, climbing out of it and onto the ladder.

David went to follow his brother before pausing when he realized the pills were still in his pocket. "Wait. I have to give these to Kalel first. You go on ahead. I'll meet you at the park."

Matt looked at him and David knew what he was thinking. He was worried David was going to back out. So David offered him his best reassuring expression, and it seemed to do the trick because Matt nodded and then started his climb down the ladder. David had no real plans of where to go from here, but how much worse could his life get at this point if it took it into his own hands? At least he would be with Matt, and that was one person he would never lose.


	17. Chapter 17

_Author's Notes: I don't really have much to say except that I have the most awesome reviewers ever. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for sticking with me! (And for the birthday wishes!)_

* * *

The park at night was like a completely different world from what it was during the day time. All the children went home and in their place, the homeless came out and crept along to retire to the benches after a day of panhandling or feeding their drug/alcohol habits. Unsavory characters hung out, dressed all in black while talking in an obvious code that only had meaning to them and their life of crime. David might have felt uncomfortable in the environment under normal circumstances, but at the moment, he didn't care about anything. Whatever would happen, would happen. How much worse could it get? If anything, the world might be better if he just disappeared.

Matt sat next to him on the bench, taking a moment to light up a cigarette, "We can always go to Dad's. If you want. It ain't much better, but at least it's not so cold."

"No. That just changes the parent, but it's still the same problem," David dropped his head into his hands, rubbing them over his face repeatedly. "It's probably the first place Mom would look, too."

"Well in that case, we don't have many options. Unless we jack a car and take off, and I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure that'll draw a lot more attention than we want."

"I don't know the first thing about driving either. So that would put an end to it real fast," David's voice was muffled into his palms. "Do we really need a plan? Can't we just sit here?"

"We could, at the risk of our lives," Matt exhaled long and loud, clouding the air with smoke. "Hey, David - look up. There's someone coming this way..."

David reluctantly lowered his hands so he could glance in the direction Matt indicated. There was someone coming. Someone dressed in a dark black hoodie and blue jeans. Someone who might have been intimidating if it wasn't someone David would have recognized anywhere. His heart clenched and he uttered on a breath, "Ian..."

"Ian? Is that the guy you're fucking?"

"...yeah. I mean, no. I mean, I don't even know. It's complicated. We got in a fight. Why is he coming over here?" David watched as Ian got closer and closer.

Matt studied the approaching stranger, "I guess you could do worse. Not that I'm the best judge. I got the straight genes, after all."

"S-shut up," David berated both in embarrassment and frustration.

"Guess that's my cue to duck out of here, though..." Matt tossed the cigarette butt to the ground and stomped it out.

"What?" David's eyes were torn away from Ian finally, lingering on his twin. "You don't have to. Anything he's gotta say, he can say it in front of you."

"Be that as it may, it'd be pretty weird to hang around if you guys wanted to go off and have make up sex for whatever problems you're having. You can thank me later," Matt winked and started for the trees.

"Don't go too far, please. Just in case it doesn't end well." Life had been so unpredictable for David these past couple of days, he wouldn't be surprised if things between him and Ian became worse. He would rather not be left completely alone.

"Don't worry, man. Whenever you need me, I'm there," he offered a wave before darting off in the opposite direction.

No sooner had he gone was Ian standing in front of him. Seeing him up close filled David with so many overwhelming emotions - relief, joy, anguish, longing, and sadness to name a few. His heart raced and his body came to life with a yearning, wanting so desperately to be touched and kissed so he could forget all of his pain. He balled his hands into fists, digging his barely existent fingernails into his palms to put his focus on something else. The dull pain distracted him, restrained him from acting on stupid impulses.

"Who were you talking to?" Ian broke the day long silence with the question.

"It's just, it's not...it was just my brother," David stammered, finding himself tongue-tied. It was hard to grasp Ian was really here, really talking to him. And it was even harder to gauge exactly where they stood.

Ian nodded once, accepting the answer without further question. "What're you doing out here this late? This ain't really the type of place for a guy like you."

David didn't even want to know what Ian meant by that. Was he looking down on him? Did he consider him weak? He shook the thoughts away, sweeping his eyes toward the dark sky above - the stars blocked out by the glare from the streetlamps. "I don't have anywhere else to go. I got kicked out."

There was silence on Ian's end. David didn't look at him, but he could see Ian out of his peripheral and knew he was being studied. Ian never betrayed what was on his mind, though, and simply sat next to him where Matt had been. He was so close, David could smell the mingling scent of cigarettes and cologne - something that had almost become as intoxicatingly sweet as roses to him. Finally, David broke. He had been so strong until now - worried, depressed, and anxiety-ridden, yes, but he didn't let those feelings show on his face. Now, his eyes became glassy with unshed tears and he looked toward Ian with a desperation he couldn't hide, reaching out to collect his hand.

"Please don't go, Ian. I've lost so much today, I don't think I can take another breath if you walk away again..." He pulled the hand to his chest and covered it with his other one, a motion akin to prayer and pleading.

Ian was so good at remaining stone-faced that David almost thought his eyes were playing tricks on him when he caught a glimmer of concern flash behind Ian's brilliant blues. "I'm not going anywhere, especially not with the vice grip you got on my hand."

David flushed in embarrassment and released him abruptly, his hands falling to his lap. "Sorry..."

"No biggie," he shrugged and reclined against the bench, kicking his feet out.

"Josh needs help, and I don't know what to do. Today at lunch, he told me and Iris he didn't want us to sit with him anymore and to pass the message along to you. It's his medication. Being off of it is really hurting him, causing his mind to just go places it normally wouldn't. He has to deal with all the crazy in his brain without anything to dull it down. I tried to get my stepdad to help. He's a psychiatrist. It's right in his area of expertise, but he refused to do anything - saying it wasn't his place and he could lose his job which was obviously more important than saving an innocent kid's life. Fucking asshole. We got into a fight and that's when he kicked me out..." David trailed off, and then a sudden realization dawned on him. "Wait! You could do it, couldn't you?"

Ian arched a brow, "Do what?"

"Get him the medication. You have ties. And he's your friend too. You'd do it for him, wouldn't you? I'd pay you anything. I'd get a job just so I can pay you."

"I could..." Ian trailed off. There was obviously more to the statement than he said.

"But?"

"Well, it's just that getting prescription meds is harder than other kinds of drugs. I mean, painkillers like Vicodin and Percocet are easy enough to get your hands on. Even Valium circulates pretty easily. But if Joven's looking for something specific, something that's tailored to his specific problem and doesn't have much recreational use - it ain't gonna be an easy task."

"It's still possible, though?"

"It's still possible."

"So you'll try?"

Ian didn't hesitate. He nodded his response, "I'll try. You just need to get me a name."

And David felt so relieved. It was ironic how the drug dealer was the one who would go out of his way to save a friend while the psychiatrist couldn't be bothered. "I will. I'll write it down. Clomipramine. Um...do you have a pen and paper? I kind of dumped them all out of my bag."

Ian brandished a pen and then his open palm. It took David a moment to realize Ian intended him to write the name there. David scooted closer, taking his hand gently in his. Touching Ian sent electric pulses tingling down his spine, but he forced it aside so he could jot the name of the medication down to the best of his spelling ability. When he was done, he looked up at Ian and found Ian looking down at him. For a moment, they stared at one another before Ian closed the distance and kissed him. All of David's burdens lifted when he felt Ian's lips on his and he returned it feverishly. It felt like he was waking up from a fog, and the world became a better place to be. Far too soon, though, Ian pulled back, and they were left breathless, wanting.

"Let's go to your car. Let's just drive and get away from this place for a while," David suggested.

"Sure. Wherever you wanna go..." Ian got up and waited for David to do the same.

They began to walk off. David didn't know what made him turn his head and look over his shoulder, but when he did, he saw Matt hadn't run off completely. He was lingering close by, and when he met David's gaze, he flashed him a thumb's up with a grin. David smiled a little and flickered his attention up at Ian. He supposed Matt did deserve a thanks the next time he saw him.

* * *

After roughly two hours of driving with only two stops, one to get gas and the other at a McDonald's to pick up some food , they pulled into the driveway of an abandoned house. As a matter of fact, it was David's old home - empty and abandoned with the 'For Sale' sign pitched in the front yard. They were in a small city called Pleasanton - a quiet area in the midst of the San Francisco bay area. The home was a bit run down, but it was private - tucked behind trees and out of sight of anyone who could call the cops on them.

David, who never thought he would return here, felt elated to be home at last. He got out of the car and circled the house until he got to the low hanging roof Matt used to climb up to his room. He jumped up, latching a hold of it before pulling himself on top. David lingered there, offering his hand to help Ian up as well, but Ian seemed to handle it just fine on his own so David led the way to his old bedroom, yanking on the rusted window and putting all of his muscle into drawing it up. Matt often complained that it was a bitch to open, and he wasn't kidding. Still, David was glad no one had thought to check and make sure the lock was secure.

He clambered into the dark room, his footsteps echoing off the empty walls. Ian followed behind him, using his phone as a flashlight to help him get his footing. David wandered to the spot where his bed used to be, sinking onto the floor. He drew his knees up to his chest and glanced over at Ian. "Thanks for bringing me here."

"No problem..." He walked over and settled beside David, scooting so his back could rest against the wall behind them.

"Are things cool between us now?" David didn't look at Ian, but he felt his eyes burning into his back. It made his skin tingle.

Ian was silent for a stretch of time. "I don't know..."

David closed his eyes sadly, "Anthony told me about you and him, you know. Today before school. What happened that made him hate you..."

"Did he?" Ian's tone was unreadable.

"Yeah. But it was years ago, like you said. You're better now, right?"

"You don't get better. You never get better. The only thing you can do is keep your head above water and try to resist the temptation to give up struggling and drown in it all again," Ian let out a sigh. "This is why I didn't want to get in a relationship with you. It wasn't you. It's me. I'm fucked up. You're looking at me like some kind of savior, and all I can do is drag you down to rot with me. I'm toxic."

David finally turned to look at him, barely able to make him out in the dim moonlight. "Why didn't you tell me in the first place? Why did you just storm out without an answer?"

"Because it would've been easier for you to hate and resent me than it would be for you to pity me."

"I don't pity you. You were fucking stupid and it was a dick move to sell your life and best friend away all for a drug," David crawled closer to him, withering his head against Ian's shoulder as the fatigue of being awake over thirty hours kicked in. "But people make mistakes. Some more than others. Your mistakes don't stop me from caring any less about you. And they definitely don't stop me from wanting to be with you as an official thing."

David felt Ian's cheek rest against the top of his head, and he closed his eyes contentedly. They were silent, basking in the comfort of one another. David found he was growing more and more tired. The thing that had been keeping him awake for most of this time had finally come to some form of resolution. His eyes grew heavy, and he almost missed what Ian said.

"Alright."

David pried his eyelids up, attempting to ward away the sleep a little while longer, "Mmm?"

"Alright," he repeated. "If calling it official makes you happy, we can. But there'll come a point in time when you'll realize I was right. And when that time comes, you better not come down on me like I didn't warn you."

A warmth swelled in the pit of David's stomach, chasing away all traces of anxiety, "Am I dreaming?"

Ian laughed, "Yes." He leaned forward to lightly brush his lips against David's. "Now go to sleep so you can wake up and keep dreaming. You need the rest. We'll figure out what we're going to do tomorrow."

David smiled, feeling as though all of his happiness was poured into that single smile - the last of his waking strength. And then he obeyed Ian's words because he could no longer fend it off, as much as he wanted to stay awake and consummate their status as a new relationship.


	18. Chapter 18

_Author's Notes: I actually had this mostly done yesterday! Haha when I have days off, I can write pretty quick. I need more of them, damnit! Thank you guys again for the birthday wishes. You're awesome! Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

As David slowly started to wake up, he found himself warm and comfortable. The sun poured into the room, unfiltered, and David reached down to draw the blanket over his head. It took him a moment to realize he hadn't gone to sleep with a blanket or a pillow. Fear filled him, and for a second he thought he actually had been dreaming. David ripped the covers off of his head and sat up abruptly, blinking at his surroundings. It was his room. His old room - empty and vacant with only cobwebs for decoration. He breathed a sigh of relief and then withered against the makeshift pillow that was really his puffy knapsack of clothes. Ian must have brought everything in and done this for him while he was asleep. The thought made him smile.

He wondered where Ian went off to. David scanned the room before listening to the sounds of the house. He heard some movement downstairs followed by Ian's voice, carrying a one-sided conversation. He must have been on his cell phone. David couldn't wipe the stupid smile off of his face when he realized, he wasn't just listening to Ian's voice - he was listening to his boyfriend. For the very first time in his life, he wasn't single. It was a strange, but exciting emotion - one that filled him with joy and a burst of energy to get up and go see him.

David tossed the blanket to the side, stretching out his arms before he headed out the door and down the creaky stairs. He paused at the bottom step, lingering there as he caught sight of Ian's back. It was hard to resist the urge to pounce him to the ground and rain down on his body with kisses to work off a little morning wood, but Ian was still talking and he probably wouldn't have appreciated the interruption no matter how sexy it was.

"No, sorry, Mel. I'm not coming to school today..."

David's happiness faltered a little at the sound of her name, replaced by an inkling of jealousy.

"I know you need some for the competition today, but something more important came up. Unless you actually have the cash to pay me this time, you're not gonna be a priority." Ian paused, listening. "No. I'm not taking that form of payment anymore. I got someone to satisfy those needs without expecting anything in return. So you either come up with the three hundred bucks or you don't get it. Plain and simple."

Apparently she didn't like the answer because Ian pulled the phone away from his ear and checked to see if it was still connected. When it wasn't, he shrugged and pocketed the device. David, on the other hand, couldn't have been more pleased with the outcome of the conversation. Maybe it was wrong of him to be so happy at Melanie's misery, but then again - if she really wanted to be with Ian, she would have dumped Jesse and made it happen. She had plenty of time to do it before David had ever come into the picture.

He moved off the last step and walked up to Ian, wrapping his arms around his waist from behind, "Mornin'."

"About damn time, sleeping beauty. You were out for twelve hours." Ian leaned in to give him a kiss.

David returned it before laughing sheepishly, "Did I mention how I didn't sleep for almost two days?"

"No, but it makes sense..." Ian stepped out of David's arms in order to gesture at the kitchen counter. "I got us some donuts."

"Breakfast of champions," David separated in order to open the box and have a look at the choices. He picked out a chocolate one to start, taking a ravenous bite before asking. "So what's Melanie's drug of choice?"

"Huh?"

"I heard the end of the conversation, so I was just curious. What's she need that runs for three hundred bucks or the equivalent in blowjobs?"

"Well if you heard me, then you'll know this sperm bank is now privately owned..." Ian grinned.

"Ooo, remind me to make a withdrawal later," David winked, licking the chocolate off his fingers. "Still doesn't answer my first question, though. C'mon, I'm nosy."

Ian rolled his eyes before shrugging absently, "Cocaine. She uses it before her tournaments to have the boost of energy and friendly cheer that keeps her as the captain. But she used to be so much more than she is now. Now, she's just a walking addiction. I can see it. She might hide behind a pretty smile and a group of friends, but I've been there. I know what it does to you. Unfortunately, as a dealer, I capitalize off of that - so I'm not exactly gonna encourage her to stop. But I am gonna get more strict on what kind of payment I accept."

David wasn't sure what to think, so he shoved the donut into his mouth to buy some time before he had to respond. After he chewed the mouthful and swallowed, he finally asked. "So why do you do it? I mean, it doesn't sound like it's something you necessarily enjoy. Why do you take the risk of getting arrested or feed other people's addictions when you know how bad it is for them?"

Ian's lips set together, "It brings me a lot of money. A lot more money than slinging burgers or working a register would. And I need that kind of money." He hesitated. "I'm homeless, David. My folks kicked me out at the end of last year. I do what I can to live, I mean I got some older friends who have an apartment, so I crash there from time to time. But sometimes, I have no choice but to live out of my car. And if I didn't make enough to even pay for the car, where would I be? I might not like doing it, but it pays for my phone, my car, my clothes, and my food while still giving me the chance to go to school for the most part. As long as I'm surviving, I can toss my morals to the side."

David's expression saddened. To think Ian was dealing with so much, and no one had a clue. He was so good at masking his suffering, David would have never guessed he didn't have a steady, warm home to return to each night. It explained a great deal of things. The fact that Ian slept through most of his classes, and that he would often grab a shower at David's before leaving, or even why he was at the park the last night. And of course, the drugs. Of course he would self-medicate if his life sucked so much.

Ian, seeing the look on David's face, wrinkled his nose in disapproval. "I don't want pity."

"I'm not-" David trailed off, knowing he _was_ pitying Ian and there was no way he could lie his way out of it without being obvious. "It's just that I always thought my life sucked, but I always had a warm place to sleep. So to think you don't have that one place to call home, it makes me sad. Even if my Mom and I couldn't see eye to eye on some things, she would never kick me out. Hell, she's probably looking around for me right now."

"So you should go back..."

"How do I face my douchebag of a stepdad, though?"

"Who says you have to? Your Mom's the only one who matters. Yeah, it's that guy's house - but if he wants to stay with your Mom, he's gonna take care of her son until that son's old enough to take care of himself."

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"I want you to stay with me..."

Ian shot him an annoyed expression, "Don't worry about me. I didn't tell you because I need your help. I told you so you knew where I came from and why I'm in the drug game. Also since we're dating, why I'd never take you to 'my place' because technically you've already been there plenty of times."

"Worrying is in my nature, I'm afraid," David flashed a wan smile. "It comes with the GAD territory. But I'll try to remember, you're a strong, independent guy who can take care of himself - and who should take care of me right now because goddamn, I've wanted you this whole conversation."

The annoyance slipped off Ian's face, followed up by a smirk. "Well, you should've said something sooner."

"I was trying to think with my brain and not my boner, okay?"

The conversation was over, and they came together in a kiss that inevitably led to David getting fucked over the kitchen counter. It may not have screamed romance, but damn the orgasm was worth it.

* * *

As they drove up the long hill that led to Kenichi's home, David was filled with a sense of dread. He didn't want to face that man or his mother, but Ian seemed to insist it was the only thing he could do, as much as David tried to stay at his old house and stall for time. "We can just live here, you know..." he had said. "Maybe no one would find us." But being that he was a minor, David was sure his Mom would have the cops out hunting him down before long. Hell, they might have already started the search. Ian was right. He had to face this head on, but he didn't have to face it alone, did he?

"You'll come in with me, right?"

"If that's what you want..."

David thought about it for a moment before he nodded, "Yeah. It is. If for nothing else, moral support."

They both got out of the car, and David wiped his palms on his day old jeans - not sure what he was going to say, or even if he should open the door like a son or knock first like a stranger. Fortunately he didn't have to worry about either because as soon as he started approaching the porch, the door burst open and his Mom raced down the stairs - looking like a disheveled mess.

"David! Thank god, you're home!" She grabbed him and pulled him into a tight, worried hug - littering his face with kisses. "I was so worried about you."

"M-Mom..." he protested out of embarrassment.

"I had no idea where you could have gone or who you were with. What if you turned up like those news stories where they go missing and later turn up dead in the ocean?"

"...I was fine. I was with Ian. You remember him, right? The guy who drives me to school."

She looked past David toward Ian, who lifted his hand in greeting. She released her son and instantly moved forward to hug Ian. "Thank you so much for taking care of David. He really does seem to think the world of you."

David's cheeks flared a bright red, while Ian shrugged it off, "Hey. It's no problem. I know he'd do the same for me."

"Why don't you both come in for dinner? I'll be making David's favorite tonight." She started walking back to the house, beckoning them to follow.

David's feet remained firmly rooted on the pavement, though. "What about Kenichi? Is it okay with him if I just come back? He was the one who kicked me out, after all."

An irritation creased her features, but she did her best to remain pleasant, "Your stepfather realized the error of his ways when he slept alone last night. He let his anger get the best of him, and he assured me it won't happen again. He'll be apologizing to you first hand once he gets home from work." She drew in a deep breath. "But he did tell me what you said right before you left, and I just hope you're practicing safe sex, David. I'd prefer it if you abstained, but I know the more I tell you no, the more you'll want to rebel."

David looked over at Ian who smirked at him and shrugged. He groaned and brought his palm to his forehead. "It's fine, Mom. Don't worry. We're careful."

"Wellll, when are you going to bring the lovely young lady over? Oh! Is it that Iris girl who was with you a few weeks ago? She was very sweet and polite. I liked her."

"Yeah, David. It's not cool to make your Mom wait to meet the person you're dating..." Ian offered an asshole grin, catching up to him and sliding an arm out of view just so he could give David's ass a playful slap.

David flashed Ian a look that basically told him he was the worst person in the world before he responded, "You'll meet _her _when I'm ready. It's complicated."

"I suppose I can't rush it. I remember my rebellious teenage days," she smiled, lost in her own longing for yesterday before she shook herself out of the daze and opened the door for the both of them. "Just know I'm a very laid back mother who is very accepting of almost anything."

Except Matt...David thought bitterly, half tempted to say it out loud, but he didn't want to provoke another fight. Not in front of Ian, anyway. They both wandered into the main entrance, and David kicked off his sneakers at the door with Ian doing the same. Their mother informed them she'd call when the lasagna was ready and shooed them off to play videogames and whatever else it was boys do. Ian and David took her up on her offer, only instead of doing any of those things - they began making out as soon as the door to David's room was closed.

David's back hit his mattress, and his hands were just wandering up beneath Ian's shirt when their moment was interrupted by the door suddenly opening. Their heads snapped apart, but Ian still remained on top of David while David's palms were in very compromising positions. Standing in the doorway, equally shocked, was Kalel and Anthony. Neither of the pairs spoke for a moment until finally Kalel broke the silence, tucking her hair behind her ears and averting her gaze.

"Oh um...I just wanted to say, glad you're back..."

"...thanks," David awkwardly replied.

"We won't bother you if you're busy..." she turned to make a hasty retreat.

"I'll see you at dinner," David pulled the hand out of Ian's pants in order to offer a half-hearted wave.

Ian climbed off of David, smoothing his shirt back into place. "Hey, Anthony?"

For a moment it seemed as though Anthony was going to ignore him, but he came to a slow pause and glanced over his shoulder, "What do you want?"

David's eyes widened as he sat up. He hoped Ian wasn't about to start something here. Just in case, though, he slipped his hand around Ian's wrist to anchor him in place.

"Thanks. For telling David the story. I think he needed to hear it from your point of view."

Anthony regarded him in confusion, sweeping a glance toward David as though he could explain the sudden attitude change. When David made it clear he was as clueless as Anthony with a shrug, Anthony's eyes returned to Ian. The faintest hint of a smile - so brief if you blinked you would miss it - flickered on the corner of his lips, "Yeah. No problem."

And that was it for the exchange. Anthony left them alone, following Kalel down the hall. After a moment, David got up, sealing the door and locking it this time. "That was pretty awesome of you."

"It's been two years now. What's the point of holding onto a grudge when this is probably the last year we're gonna see each other?"

"That's sad when you think about it. And a little bit scary, too. We're in the final year and no matter how good or bad it goes, we're not gonna get another one..." David crawled back onto the bed, scooting beside Ian and lying on his back. "It kind of goes along with what you said that one time - to live in the moment because the moment's all you got..."

"You took that to heart? I was just saying that to get laid," Ian grinned over at David playfully, rolling so he could resume his position on top of him.

David laughed, "You're such a fucking dick."

"Isn't that the part you like most about me?" Ian's lips latched onto David's earlobe as he rolled his hips.

He breathed out a sigh, "Not fair. You can't go drawing the libido card against me. You know that's my weak point."

"Since you're _mine_, I think I can do whatever the hell I want..." Ian lowered his mouth to the sweet spot on David's neck, causing him to gasp.

But more than the desire to be fucked raw right then and there, David felt happy. The banter between them, the laughs - Ian was opening up a hundred times more than he ever had. Before, most of his smiles were smirks and most of his jokes were crude. Now, David saw actual smiles as though for the first time in a long time, Ian was allowing himself to be happy. And while the sexual nature of his jokes hadn't changed much, their meaning did. David wasn't just Ian's plaything. Ian's kisses were full of desire, but also a tenderness. The decision to be in a relationship changed the nature of their intimacy, and David welcomed the change. The only thing left to do was to make things right with Joshua again, and then David would be back to being on top of the world. But for now, he could think of no better position to be in than underneath Ian.


	19. Chapter 19

_Author's Notes: Game Bang today. Who else was a little disappointed they didn't wind up 'shipping' Iancorn? hahaha, I was rooting for Lasercorn to lose so hard. :'( all my tears. I do have to admit, I'm starting to ship Antcorn. So after I finish this story, I maaay try my hand at an Antcorn. IDK. Anyway, lol. Katie. You make me laugh because I could totally see David saying that line as though he was mocking Ian for being a 'sassy independent woman who don't need no man by her side.' And B - :x my lips are sealed, but this story still has a ways to go before I reach the end. Maaaaybe there are storms that are brewing. Maybe. Hehehe. Anyway, thanks so much for the comments! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter as well! Oh, also! Are there any interactions and relationships with David you'd want to see elaborated on? I need a couple of chapters to fill in and advance the time before I can get to the next main plot point, and while it would be easy to just fill them with Iancorn smut...lol...I thought maybe there are things you'd want to see more of? Maybe some more Antcorn interactions? Maybe some more Jesse/David interactions? Or Iris? Or David and his Mom? lol. Maybe a Kalanthony and Iancorn double date? MAYBE BRINGING MARI BACK because holy crap remember that she's actually in this story? ANYWAY. I've rambled enough, so just give me your thoughts and I will do my best to include them. Thanks, again! xoxo_

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David woke up with his alarm the following morning. Dinner the previous day had gone well. Kenichi apologized to David in front of everyone, and David accepted the apology at face value. It didn't change what happened, but at least they could go back to pretending to have respect for one another, while simultaneously avoiding each other as much as possible. One thing the whole ordeal made David realize, though, was that he wanted to take the steps toward gaining his own independence so he had a way out once he hit eighteen. Saving his money instead of blowing it on the latest videogames would be a start, but more than that - he told his Mom he wanted to get his license and she agreed to start teaching him how to drive on the weekends. On his sixteenth birthday, she had taken him to get his permit, but after that, he had been too anxiety ridden to get on the road with actual traffic.

It had been far too easy to fall into the habit of letting her become his sole source of a ride whenever he needed one. Even now, it would have been easy to depend on Ian to be his own personal taxi. But if there was one thing Ian gave him, it was confidence. Who would have thought he would come to this school and get in a relationship? Ian made him feel good about himself, attractive, and desirable. Ian boosted him up, and David was sure as long as Ian was with him, he couldn't fail. So no matter how much his fears tried to pull him back, he was going to force himself forward and get his license.

David got up and got ready, poking his head into the bathroom when Kalel was in the process of curling her hair. She looked up at his reflection, offering a little smile of greeting and he returned it. "You're looking better now."

"Looks can be deceiving. It's amazing what a little makeup can do," Kalel set the curling iron down, roaming her fingers through her hair to loosen the curls. "I think I finally picked out the piece I'm going to be playing. So it's all a matter of practicing every free chance I get and praying I don't fuck up."

"You're not going to, so get the thought out of your head. You got this, Kalel. How many recitals have you played already?"

She pursed her lips, turning to look at him, "But there wasn't so much riding on those. You're right, though. I'm just worrying myself. If I keep worrying about failing, then I will. So I have to get it out of my head." She turned away to find her hairspray, spritzing it all over her loose waves and scrunching them into place. "What did you tell my Dad that day before you left?"

"Whadd'ya mean?"

"About me. He came to me that night and told me he loved me, and he was sorry if it ever seemed as though he didn't. I know he wouldn't have done that on his own, so what did you say?"

"Only what he needed to hear, obviously. I'm glad it worked out for you, though," David moved forward, looping an arm around her shoulder and giving her a half hug.

She leaned her head against his before a smile turned up on the corner of her lips, "Thanks." And then the smile grew teasing. "Now go. You don't wanna keep your _boyfriend_ waiting."

"I hate that that's effectively embarrassing," David shook his head with a laugh. "Tell Anthony I said 'hey.'"

The smile faded at the mention of his name, and she turned away, half-heartedly saying, "I will."

That was the second time Kalel had a strange reaction to the mention of Anthony. David wanted to press, but as he opened his mouth to do so, he realized it wasn't his place. They seemed fine when they were together, so it was probably just his imagination. He shook the thought away and then headed downstairs to do the usual routine before walking out the door. Seeing Ian's car in the driveway caused the same stirring of happiness inside of him as he felt the day before, and David wondered if there would ever come a point when it would get old. He hoped not. It was seriously one of the best feelings in the world.

David got into the car and leaned over to kiss Ian in greeting before they headed on their way. Ian lifted a hand away from the steering wheel, going into the console before he picked up an amber bottle and handed it over to David. David accepted the medication, reading the label at the same time as Ian said: "I got it."

"That was faster than I expected. Damn, you're good. This is the perfect peace offering..." he lightly shook the bottle, rattling the little pills inside.

"It's an art form," he cracked the window in order to have a cigarette.

"So what do I owe you? And do you think you'd be able to keep getting this if Josh's parents can't?"

Ian shook his head, "Consider it a freebie as long as you let me dip into your medicine cabinet sometime to return the favor. And of course I can get it. My guy is good. The question really is if Joven'll want it or not."

"You think he wouldn't?"

"I don't know. He might be stubborn, but he also might be desperate. I guess you know him better than I do."

"You've known him longer, though."

"Maybe. Depends on your definition of 'know.' He's the one guy I could always count on to not bombard me with questions when I sat next to him. We could sit in comfortable silence. You're the one who got him talking. You're the one who just seems to have that effect on people."

David shook his head in amusement, "Which is weird because everyone hated me in my old school. I was that weird kid no one wanted to talk to - the quiet one everyone feared would go nuts one day, so it's weird to be social and actually fit in here. Sure, I'm fitting in with the misfits, but I kind of prefer that. My biggest issue is how to get rid of Iris."

Ian laughed, "It sounds like you're plotting a murder. I don't see why you have to..." he fingerquoted. "_Get rid of her_. Just make it known you're off the market. Want me to go down on you in front of her? That'd probably send a pretty clear picture."

"Sure. And why not do it in the cafeteria, too? That way we can both get expelled, but put on a hell of a show for everyone," David rolled his eyes with a smile. "But are you actually okay with people knowing...about, well, us?"

"I always was. I told you that. I don't have anything to be ashamed of. And now that we're a relationship, doesn't that kill the worst of your worries, too?"

"I guess so, yeah..." his attention drifted out the side window, eyes following the passing scenery. "I still don't really want everyone all up in my business, but anyone who's got a problem with you and me obviously isn't important enough to matter."

"Glad to hear my good influence is rubbing off on you," Ian chuckled, pulling in to the school. He parked the car in the back like usual before reaching across David's lap to go into the glove box. "Wanna smoke up before class?"

David watched as Ian withdrew the bag containing the joints. It was tempting, but he needed a clear head to face Josh. Hadn't he promised him he wouldn't ever do it before school again? "I probably shouldn't, but later for sure. C'mere, though..." He reached out for Ian's jacket collar, drawing him closer for a lingering kiss. Ian teasingly slipped David a little tongue, and that was when David drew back, wrinkling his nose. "Cut it out or I'm never gonna leave the car."

"Maybe that's the plan," Ian wiggled his eyebrows before he lit his joint. "Sure you don't want a hit?"

"Positive," he opened the car door and got out. "Well, I'm gonna go find Josh. Wish me luck."

"Mmm. Good luck. See you before lunch," Ian waved and then put the joint between his lips, drawing the intoxicating smoke into his lungs.

David left him, sucking in a deep breath and walking toward the school. He didn't know what he was going to say, and he was basically going in with no plan beyond having a medicinal peace offering. David just hoped that was enough to show Joshua how much he cared - enough to get him what he needed in order to save his life. As seen a few nights ago, even some of the finest psychiatrists wouldn't even do that.

Once he entered the building, David immediately headed for Joshua's locker. He got to the hall with time to spare and caught sight of Josh for the first time since their fight. Everything about his friend looked defeated - from his rumpled clothing to his messed up hair, but especially in his demeanor. His shoulders were slumped forward as he organized and reorganized his books. Joshua was the epitome of exhaustion - both mental and physical. From the looks of him, David doubted he had a full night sleep in a while.

Swallowing his apprehension, David called out, "Josh!"

He turned his head - dark circles lining his eyes and a speckled dusting of unshaven facial hair dotting his jaw. Still, upon making eye contact, a sort of relief warmed Joshua's exhaustion, "David. Thank god. I was worried I'd screwed everything up when you weren't here yesterday."

"No. It wasn't you. It's a long story. Look, I have something for you..."

"I have something for you, too. An apology. I'm so sorry I was a dick. You have no idea how much I hated myself for acting like that around you. It's just...it's just that," Joshua's voice wavered and broke. "All day that day, I just kept thinking these horrible things. I couldn't get them out of my head, and I was so worried I'd act on them. Like that I'd hurt you. Really hurt you. So I lashed out to get you away from me. Maybe a part of me really did feel jealous, but most of it was my issues."

David reached into his pocket with the same sleight of hand technique he had seen Ian do, placing the Clomipramine on the open shelf. Joshua arched his brow, looking at the medicine in confusion that quickly changed to amazement. David smiled a little, "I trust you, Josh. I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me. You need to trust in you, too. You're more than your illness. Besides, even if you did come at me for some reason, I'm a big boy. I can take care of myself. I can also take care of my friends, if you let me. I know all about needing that shit to function, so until your parents can afford it again - I'll get if for you."

"How did you...? No wait. I don't even know if I wanna know the answer." Joshua took the vial in his hands, clutching it protectively against his chest before looking at David meaningfully. "Thank you. You're the best." He popped the lid and took out a pill, putting it in his mouth and swallowing it dry. Josh looked better already - as though he now finally had an end to the long torturous days that plagued him. David couldn't be happier.

"You're welcome. Anytime..." He trailed off, having a hard time believing just how much had happened over the past couple of days. "Everything lately is a long, messy story that I'll tell you at some point. I do wanna clear up one thing with you, though."

"What's that?"

"You were right that I spend more time with Ian than you. And I'm sorry if that hurt you or made you jealous. It's not that I like him more than you. I still stand by what I said - you're the best friend I ever had. But that's just it. You're a friend. Ian and I, well, we're..." David trailed off, having a hard time getting out the words, which was strange to him. He was proud of what he and Ian were, so why was it so difficult to say it out loud? When he managed to push the words out, his voice lowered to a whisper. "We're seeing each other. I mean, we're _dating_."

"What!" Joshua shrieked in shock, causing a few of the other students to turn around and glance at him.

"Shhh!" David berated, feeling self-conscious.

He slapped his hand over his mouth before bringing it back down to conversational tones, "How long has this been going on? You're _gay_? But I thought you were like the straightest guy I knew!"

"...so did I. Ian kind of threw me for a loop. Um..." David scratched the side of his cheek idly. "Well, we've only been officially dating a couple of days now. We've been sleeping together for much longer. Like...maybe a couple of days after I met him?"

"Holy crap! That soon? How'd that even come about? Was he just like 'Want a ride home? Oh wait, first we gotta fuck'?"

"Nope. I just kind of went for it when we were all over at David's that one time," Ian walked up behind Joshua, smirking.

"You, wha? While I was there?! Where was I?" Joshua looked between the two of them, shocked something so scandalous could have gone on right in front of his nose.

David's face flared a bright red, and he let out an embarrassed cough, "Um...playing a few rounds of Injustice against me."

Joshua had no words. He opened his mouth and let out a choked sound before his lips set together and he shook his head, "You guys are like sex ninjas."

"You have no idea," Ian moved over toward David, bringing his arm around his shoulders.

This close, David could easily smell the pot on him, see it in his glassy eyes and lazy smile, and feel it from the way Ian's hand snaked down his shoulder and found its way underneath his jacket unseen. The touch on his skin started a slow-burning fire, and David knew he had to put it out before it raged on any further. He went to move away, but got tugged back into place - Ian's hand dipping into his pants and brushing the outer curve of his ass. David bit down on his lip.

"Me and Josh should probably start heading to class," David adjusted his book bag to hide what Ian was doing.

"Joven can go on ahead. Can't you, Joven? David'll meet you there," Ian grinned darkly, fingers tracing the cheek before finding their way between them.

"Yeah. I should probably get there early anyway. I already have detention for coming in late yesterday and the day before..." Joshua put the pills back into his locker carefully - as though he was handling something so delicate, it would turn to sand and blow away.

David, on the other hand, was dealing with his own dilemma. He gasped as soon as he felt the rough entry of Ian's finger - crooking and teasing him, and unfortunately spawning the beginnings of arousal. His voice was pitchy and strained when he found it. "No. I have to go now. Joshua has to catch me up on what I missed yesterday."

Joshua lifted his brows, looking at the two of them before his eyes widened, "Oh my god, you're doing it right now, aren't you? Can't you keep your hands off of each other for two seconds?"

Ian suddenly withdrew his hand from David, holding both of them up innocently. David was left empty and wanting. He hated Ian a little for taking the teasing too far, but since Joshua was now in the know, David confessed, "Well...he kind of has a kink for public sex, and I have an overactive sex drive. Put it together...and yeah. More often than not, we're all over each other."

"Listen to you two gossiping away," Ian laughed in amusement, finding hilarity in something that really wasn't all _that_ funny. He came between them, clapping them both on the shoulders, and David cringed when he realized one of those hands had been _inside_ him, and he wasn't sure which one, but he sure as hell hoped Ian wasn't touching Joshua with it. "And bee, tee, double yew, I never said I have a kink for public sex."

David deadpanned, "You didn't have to say it. I've been on the receiving end many, many times in case you forgot."

"You two are really having sex," Joshua shook his head in amazement. The realization still seemed to be mind blowing to him. "That's crazy."

"People have sex, Joven. It's not that unusual," Ian moved back from the pair, veering toward the bathroom. "Anyway, David. Last call to hang back before class."

It was tempting. It was always tempting. Even high, Ian looked absolutely irresistible. But if David went now, it was probable he wouldn't make it to class and a certain thing he would at least be late. He couldn't afford to keep missing out on his classes, especially not the one class he and Joshua actually had together. Now that things were back to normal between them, he wanted to make up for all the times he neglected Joshua in favor of spending time with Ian. Even if he and Ian were intimately involved, it was no excuse.

So he shook his head, "I'll pass. My loss, I know. But I'm sure we'll make up for it later. See you at lunch."

Ian shrugged, neither conveying his disappointment nor his respect for David's decision. "See ya." And with those words, he disappeared into the boy's bathroom.

"Make sure you wash your hands, damnit!" David called after him before shaking his head to himself with a smile. Ian was his own breed of unique, and now that David was locked into the relationship, he really couldn't see himself with anyone else.

"Sooo what's he like in bed?" Once Ian was gone, Joshua seemed to feel like he could dig for all the perverted details.

David blinked, coming back to reality after the question and balking. "What kind of question is that?"

"I think it's a pretty legitimate one. If you guys're gonna mess around in front of me without me even knowing it, I have a right to the details."

"But...why would you even want to know? I mean, it's not the same as if I'd been with a girl. I could completely understand wanting the dirty details if it was..."

"Sex is sex, and you're the one having it, so I want to live vicariously through you..."

"...this feels like that one song from Grease."

"Tell me more, tell me more~" Joshua obnoxiously crooned.

David groaned and held up his hand to silence him, "Alright, alright. I'll tell you."

And so he began to unleash all the sordid stories of his and Ian's sexcapades during their walk to class with Joshua giving him his undivided attention, all while admiring him like he and Ian were some kind of sex gods. David had to admit the whole thing seemed pretty comical to him, but at the same time it was kind of nice to have someone other than him and Ian interested in what they did. More than that, though, it was so nice to have his best friend back. He would gladly divulge all of his most erotic tales if it meant keeping life this good.


	20. Chapter 20

_Author's Notes: Wheeee. Updates! Haha and Liz - YES. A Marhinki would have been nice, too, but I was pretty sure it wasn't going to happen. Sohinki like barely ever loses. I wish he would lose more! Even though that would take away from him being a tryhard haha. SirRenais - you're too sweet! TheMediaKiller and Katie - thanks for the suggestions! I think I can figure out how to incorporate them. And geesh, thanks for reminding me, Katie! It's so bad but I sometimes forget Matt's a part of this story too. haha since he's not part of the 'main crew' I have to find ways to work him in. I will definitely find a way to toss in some Marhinki bits, lmao. Also one last thing before I let you guys read on, but I realize all of my stories have either written Melanie out of the picture, or in the case of this one - made her a little bit of a villain. Lol, I swear I have nothing against her! She's just filling a role in this story that is a necessary evil, but my opinions of her outside of the fictional world are that she's beautiful and hilarious and perfect for Ian. (...and if for some reason things don't work out between them, I just hope Ian takes Lasercorn into consideration :P). But yeah, that's enough from me. Hope you enjoy the chapter!_

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The lunch time bell rang, and David stopped by his locker to deposit his books. He expected Ian to meet him there, so he was a little disappointed when he didn't. It was silly to even be disappointed at all when he would see him in a matter of moments, but if David had a rational mind, he wouldn't have a stockpile of medication. He closed the locker door and was surprised when he saw Iris on the other side of it, leaning against the row of lockers and looking up at him with a smile.

"I missed you yesterday..."

"Oh...? Yeah, sorry. I had a lot going on," he rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, and she took that opportunity to sidle closer.

"You know, David, I'm normally not so forward, but it's been weeks now. And maybe you haven't noticed, but I like you."

_ I've noticed. I've more than noticed. If she gets any closer, I'm gonna have to flatten myself against the locker and pray I disappear into it. _"R-really? But why would you?" Even though he knew he should have diffused the situation right away, he was genuinely curious why someone like Iris would have a thing for him. It wasn't like he was incredibly interesting, or cool, or attractive, or any of those things that made people popular.

"You're different. And you have so many sides to you. The side that goes out of his way to befriend someone who doesn't have any friends, even if he was ungrateful and pushed you away. You also stood up to Jesse a few times, and that takes guts since he doesn't go anywhere without his two pals. And then let's face it. You have the most piercing, intense stare, and I find it so hot," she inched closer and closer until she was practically on him - body pressed to his, hand wandering his chest.

David gulped. In spite of himself, he did enjoy the contact. But he had to put an end to this, "Iris..." he began, putting his hands on her shoulders and putting some breathing room between them. It was easier to think this way. "You're a sweet girl, and I have no doubt we would have been together if I hadn't met someone else first. I'm sorry, but I'm already in a relationship."

Iris stared at him in shock before stammering, "W-who is she?" In those few seconds, she must have gone through all the girls she ever remembered seeing David interact with because she blurted out. "Is it Kalel? Are you seeing her on the side? Well, that's fine! I can be your girlfriend while she stays with Anthony, and I don't mind if you keep your fling going..."

"No. Kalel's my stepsister, it's not like that..."

Her eyes filled with tears, and at this point David realized she genuinely liked him. It wasn't just a teenage lust fueled by an attraction. She legitimately and desperately clung to the hope they would be together. "Then who?"

David felt bad for her. It was horrible to have this much power to crush someone's world and reduce them to tears. "Ian."

Her brows furrowed in confusion, not sure she heard him right, "Ian?"

"Ian," he confirmed.

Shock and disgust mingled on her face as she separated from him completely, "Why? That guy's a mess. He's nothing but trouble. Why would you willingly get involved with him? Aren't you smarter than that?"

"Sometimes smarts and logic have nothing to do with who you fall for, I'm afraid," David offered a sympathetic smile. "I'm a mess, too. So you're better off finding someone else."

"Well, maybe...if you tried a woman, you'd find you liked it a lot more than being with a guy," Iris threw everything into one last ditch effort to not leave this conversation alone. She grabbed his cheeks and dragged him into a kiss.

David let out a sound of surprise in his throat because she caught him before he could even breathe. Her lips were much softer than Ian's, and damned if his teenage hormones weren't reacting. But logically he knew he couldn't lose himself to the kiss. No matter how much she worked him up, he had a loyalty to Ian, and to close his eyes and give in would be breaking that loyalty. Fortunately, most of the students had gone to lunch. So at least no one was around to start this rumor.

His eyes veered past her, and that's when he caught sight of Ian standing there watching them. His heart clenched in his chest and he pulled back from Iris abruptly. She was left in confusion until she followed his gaze and saw Ian as well.

Iris scooted closer to David, and she loudly proclaimed, "Oh, David! We can't kiss in the hall like this. People might start talking!"

David looked down at her, perplexed, before he realized what she was doing. Stricken, his eyes sought out Ian's, and he was surprised to find him standing there with his arms crossed, amusement seeping onto his face.

"Should I leave you two alone?" He asked.

"If you don't mind..." Iris answered.

David didn't even know what to say. This situation was taking too many twists and turns, but fortunately he didn't have to say anything. Ian took care of that for him, "Sure thing. Just let me give my _boyfriend_ something real quick."

Ian dragged David away from Iris and pulled him into a kiss of his own. Ian threw all of his passion, all of his lust, all of his possession and adoration into it, and it was impossible not to drown. David's eyes shut and he returned it with need. They lingered there for a good minute before Ian drew back, leaving David breathless and wanting. Ian's eyes veered toward Iris, and David followed the gaze to find her standing there with a mix of anguish, despair, anger, and disgust on her face. She stared at them for a few seconds before turning and storming away. David almost felt he should call out to her and apologize, but with Ian's arm around him, he realized it probably wasn't the best idea. Sure, she would hurt now, but at least she would get the point. If he opened any doors here, she may attempt to wedge them open further later.

"Consider Iris taken care of. Now let's go to lunch. I'm starving. What'd you bring me?" Ian steered them in the direction of the cafeteria.

"Don't you feel a little bad doing that to her?" David glanced over his shoulder toward where Iris had disappeared.

"Why should I? She didn't feel bad about making out with you in front of me, and she even tried to blame you for it. She deserved it. Iris and Melanie are the same way - thinking that if they can't get what they want by normal means, they can use their sex appeal to get it. Sad thing is, it works most of the time."

"I can imagine it would," David mumbled distractedly. "I won't pretend that for two seconds there, I didn't think about giving in."

Ian nodded, "I know you did."

"...Sorry. Does that make me a bad boyfriend or something?"

He laughed easily with no detection of pain or resentment, "Fuck no. It makes you human. Temptations are gonna happen all the time. The important thing is that you don't give in, because I promise you I can satisfy you better than anyone else ever could."

David felt free to laugh as well, "I don't doubt it. You also work me up more than anyone, damnit. What was that all about this morning?"

Ian shrugged innocently, "Just a little bit of fun which could've turned to a whole lot of fun if you went into the bathroom with me."

"Pervert," David shook his head with a grin. "If we keep doing it all the time, you're gonna get sick of me."

"Never," Ian looked at him, and his expression grew serious. "There's something about you that's better than any other person I've been with. At first I thought it just turned me on because you were so inexperienced and excitable. It's not just that, though. Even as you got the experience, I nut in you better than I've nutted in anyone. And I came to realize - haha get it? Came? - that it's just you. You're the part that makes it good. I don't think I could ever get sick of that because that'd mean I got sick of you, and that ain't gonna happen."

David smiled. It wasn't the most eloquent of things Ian could have said to him, but it was sincere in its own way. "You say that now..."

"I mean it. You've gotten into my blood and made yourself my new addiction. Nothing else can take me higher," Ian leaned over, his nose pressing against the back of David's neck, drawing in his scent.

The closeness brought a shudder down his spine, but David remained focused on their destination, continuing to walk toward the cafeteria, "You make me feel incredible, Ian. When I'm not with you, you're all I think about and fixate on. So I'd say I'm pretty addicted, too. With any luck, it's not something we'll need rehab for." As they reached the entrance, he paused and turned to face him. "I'm glad I moved here and got to meet you."

Ian smiled - soft and sincere. "That's weirdly sappy, but yeah. I ditto it. Glad you moved here, too." He leaned down in order to seal it off with a kiss.

But David, seeing where they were, shied away from it. There were too many eyes, too many people to turn them into a spectacle. Granted, David was sure the rumors would fly around since both Jesse _and _Iris knew about them, but for now, he was far too used to doing what they did in secret that having any overt form of PDA seemed awkward. Ian quirked a brow before shaking his head in mild amusement. He used his hand to push David inward, and they walked toward their table.

Joshua looked up and then wagged a knowing finger at them, "I was starting to think you two were off having a quickie or something."

"Nah. We were waiting to do it in front of you," Ian smirked, dropping into his normal seat.

"I hope you're not serious," Joshua scrunched his nose.

"Iris ran into me. Long story short, I don't think she's gonna be sitting here anymore," David pulled his lunch out of his book bag, pushing it toward Ian to give him first dibs.

"Seriously? That's a shame. I admired the view," Joshua wore a perverted grin.

"I can try and hook you two up if you want," David offered, taking the rest of his lunch and starting to eat.

"As awesome as that would be, there's no way she'd ever go with a guy like me. And besides, I have that thing for asians anyway. So if Kalel and Anthony were to ever break up, I would-" His voice cracked, trailing off when all of a sudden, the two people he was talking about were standing before their table.

"Sorry to interrupt," Kalel swept her gaze over them, lingering on Joshua the longest. He seemed like he wanted to die under the weight of her stare. She finally moved her attention to David. "Someone spilled soda or something all over our normal table. So would it be alright if we sit here for lunch?"

"I'm fine with it, but..." David looked between Ian and Anthony.

"It's cool," they both said simultaneously - a bit forced and a bit rushed. There was still a lot of unspoken tension there.

"Alright, thanks," Kalel went to pull out her seat when Anthony graciously did the work for her. She made an unappreciative face at the gallant gesture. "I could handle it myself."

"I was just trying to be nice," Anthony shrugged, sinking down on her opposite side. From the sound of it, there was a bit of tension there too.

Well. This was shaping up to be an uncomfortable lunch. David cleared his throat, "So, Anthony? When's your next show gonna be?"

"This weekend. Saturday night at eight. Five bucks per ticket, but I could get you in for free if you were interested," he speared his dry, cafeteria spaghetti with his fork and attempted to twirl it - winding up with a huge clump of stuck-together pasta. Anthony ate it regardless.

"I...maybe. Are you going, Kalel?"

She took a bite of the stale french bread from Anthony's plate before setting it down and looking nauseated. "No. I have to stay home and practice for the recital." She quickly rose to her feet, clutching a change purse like a safety line. "I need to get some ginger ale. I'm not feeling very good." And she made her way for the soda machine.

Anthony shook his head, "She hasn't been feeling all that great since the day she stayed home." He picked up the bread she nibbled on as though it was contaminated and carefully put it out of contact with the rest of his food. "You oughta get your parents to take her to the doctor."

David's stomach sank and suddenly he felt nauseous, too. Not only would taking her to the doctor be a bad idea if they ran tests and found out she had been taking pills that weren't prescribed to her, but he wondered if that was part of the problem in the first place. His eyes veered after her, watching as she fed the machine a few quarters before putting her hand over his mouth and suddenly bolting from the room. One asshole got up to monopolize on the discounted soda, and David frowned deep. He needed to talk to her and find out exactly how much Ativan she was taking. Hopefully she wasn't hurting her body beyond repair. His eyes darted back to Anthony, but then met Ian's - finding he was watching him very closely. David wondered if he knew or could read his thoughts, and it made him shrink in his seat as though he could guard them better.

"Yeah. Hopefully she'll be okay..." David murmured.

"You know," Ian piped up. "Going back to talking about Anthony's show - why don't we go? You, me, and Joven. I'd like to hear the new sound. Bet it's awesome."

Anthony looked at him, mildly uncomfortable but also slightly appreciative, "You'd really wanna go?"

"Yeah. Why not?"

"You're not just going to start shit, are you?"

"Anthony, I'm over it. We had our run, and it was great. But it's done, we've moved forward. And starting shit with you to dredge up our old shit would just make an even bigger pile of shit. That's the last thing I feel like doing."

Anthony considered Ian's words before he nodded his approval, smiling, "Well it'd be great to see you there, then." His eyes veered between Joshua and David. "You guys, too."

"It's great that you guys are including me in this, but...I," Joshua began to protest, looking at David. David gave him a meaningful look because he knew Josh was about to let his OCD rule him again. He caved beneath the weight of the stare, lowering his eyes to his hands and watching them as he fidgeted. "...I'll only go if I can spend the night at your place, David. So ask your Mom."

"Great. It's settled. We're all spending the night at David's place," Ian invited himself over without a care. "You too, Anthony. You can just go sneak into Kalel's room and give her a bone goodnight."

Anthony scrunched his nose, "Yeah, right. The most I've gotten out of her since she's become so fixated on this recital is a pity handjob. And that was with one hand still plucking away on her keyboard."

"Oh my god! Why is sex happening all around me!" Joshua blurted out in exasperation. "And how can you even be complaining about a handjob? I would die to get a hot girl to touch me there."

"There, there. You're the little virgin that could. You'll lose it eventually," Ian reached out to pat him on the head, only to have his hand batted away.

"Don't patronize me. We both know that's not true. Most likely to die a sad, lonely virgin? This guy, right here," Joshua gestured at himself.

"I have a cousin who'll do anything that moves. She may or may not have herpes, though," Anthony offered.

"There you go, Joven. You'd even get a souvenir..." Ian smirked.

"A parting gift to remind him of that whole minute of heaven?" David joined in the teasing.

"Hey, now. I don't want to hear anything about lasting a minute coming from the minute man himself," Ian pointed out.

David flushed, and Joshua started laughing so hard he walrused. The laughter was contagious, and everyone fell victim to it. For a moment, it felt good. It felt as though things were working out for everyone. Joshua was back on his medication and had made up with David, things between David and Ian couldn't have been better, Iris finally understood he wasn't available, and even the rift between Anthony and Ian was lifting. The only thing that wasn't going so good was Kalel. David looked up when she finally returned to the table, appearing a bit disheveled. Her makeup mask had smeared a touch around the eyes, and her body was a little shaky as she resettled beside Anthony. David frowned. It was upsetting because she was one of the things he cared about the most. And he vowed right then and there to try and fix what was broken in her, so all the pieces in his life could be whole.


	21. Chapter 21

_Author's Notes: Sooo, this one focuses a lot of Kalel's and David's relationship. Kalelercorn? lol...idek what the name for it would be. Umm, so the next chapter - let me just tell you that I had SO MANY ideas for it. I don't think I'll be spoiling anything by telling you it's gonna be Anthony's show. And here is just an example of a few of the ideas that I scrapped (though if you really want to see any of them happen, I can probably work it in! haha): David trying something harder than weed like X or Acid, Kalel and Joven getting drunk and making out, Joven trying weed, Kalel mixing alcohol and Ativan and it having adverse affects, David, Ian, and Joshua getting messed up on something after the show and having a threesome. ...cough. Yeah. My mind is a crazy place. But I think you guys will like what I DO have in mind. Especially those certain Ianthony fans (coughcoughthemediakillercough :P) ANYWAY. Dinner is ready, so I'm gonna end this here and go eat. Enjoy!_

* * *

Saturday came surprisingly quick. Normally the school week dragged on, but this week flew by before David even knew it. He woke up to the distant sounds of people moving around downstairs as well as the twinkling notes of a piano as Kalel practiced her piece repeatedly. He sat back and listened to her, realizing just how good she was. Her fingers seemed to dance over the fast notes, playing with such beauty and grace that could only come from someone with a natural, raw talent. How could she even doubt her ability to do well at the recital?

He rolled out of bed, tossing on a T-shirt to accompany his boxers before making a pit stop at the bathroom to relieve his bladder. Once that was taken care of, he headed to Kalel's room, finding the door open a crack. He knocked lightly to announce himself before pushing it open all the way. Kalel looked up suddenly, grabbing for the bottle of pills beside her in order to stash them away - only to relax when she saw it was David. She still tucked them out of view, but it was with less of an urgency.

"How many do you have left?" David asked.

"Enough. Don't worry, you won't have to get more..." She turned back to the keyboard.

"That's the thing, though. I _do _worry. I worry you don't know what you're doing and you're spiraling out of control. Why are you so sick lately, Kalel? It's a side effect of the drug, isn't it? I know because I felt the same thing when I took it."

She looked at him for a long moment, her eyes filling with tears as she shook her head, "You don't know..." She stopped playing long enough to bury her face in her hands. "You don't know what it's like to have all this pressure to be perfect. I feel like I'm dying on the inside. Falling, but there's no safety net."

David studied her sympathetically. He walked over to the bench, taking up the edge and easing his arms around her shoulders, "You're right. I don't know what it's like to strive to be perfect, because I know I'm far from it. I don't have nearly the same amount of pressures as you do, but whenever things got bad, I used to turn to my meds as a safety net. I think in the end, though, they only weigh you down and keep you anchored to the ground so you can't be free. The thing I found that helps the most when my anxiety is eating away at me, is pot."

Kalel seemed surprised, "You do that stuff?"

"It has more of a stigma than it deserves. Look at all of its medicinal uses. Look at the fact that it's natural or how it's better for you than cigarettes which have been legal for ages. I'm not trying to sit here and praise it, but I'm offering it as an alternative to the Ativan. It opens you up creatively and takes your cares away. I'm worried you're gonna hurt yourself more with the medication than you would with weed, and if you absolutely need a crutch to get through this - I think you should think about trying it."

"I don't know," she wrung her hands apprehensively before placing them on the keys.

"Just give it some thought, okay?" He nudged her lightly with his shoulder.

She nodded, moistening her lips before diving into the classical piece once again.

"Also, you should come out with us to Anthony's show tonight. I think you could use a break."

Kalel slipped on her notes and then started from the beginning again, "I can't afford the distraction. He's already messing me up."

"How so? You two seem to be good together."

"Seem to be, yeah. But he doesn't think of the future. He doesn't think of the consequences of his actions. He's just a free spirit who wants to play music, and that's great - but where is a guitar going to get him if he doesn't apply himself? He thinks everything will just fall into his lap, and it doesn't work like that! How can I build a life with someone who thinks he can support us just by playing some local gigs with the hope of someday making it big?" Kalel's playing became furious, punching each of the notes with a deeply rooted anger. "How can I build a life with someone who thinks life is more about luck than it is about skill? How can I build a life with someone who doesn't have a backup plan in case his dream goes down the toilet?" Her notes became messed up, and she slapped her palm against the keys. "Fuck!"

David watched her, not sure of what to think. Why was there so much emphasis on the future? Why was she so concerned about things later in life when they hadn't even finished their senior year? "We're still young, Kalel. Can't you just enjoy Anthony for what he is? If you live so far in the future, you're not living in the moment. You're missing all the things that make living right now so great..."

Her lips set together and for a moment she said nothing, but the rage behind each note was still there as she plucked away at the piece. "I need a plan. I need a surefire plan to make sure I don't wind up back _here_. Anthony always fit into that plan. He was always my prince, for the two years we've been dating. If he's not _it_, then what did I waste these two years for? He has to be. But he also has to learn responsibility. There's not much time left." Her breathing began to become panicked and she went to reach for the pills she hid away with trembling fingers.

David stopped her hand before it got that far. "Stop, Kalel. Stop living with a plan and start actually living. You don't need Ativan to live." His eyes swept the sheet of music clipped to the keyboard, getting an idea from it. He took her by the hands and dragged her up to her feet. "Improvise!"

Kalel arched a brow, a smile fighting its way to her lips, "Improvise? What do _you_ know about improvising?"

"It's about being spontaneous and feeling the moment, right? You'd be surprised at how good a grasp I've got on it lately," David grinned. "So here's the plan. You're coming with me for my first driving lesson and then we're gonna go to the mall. Ian can pick us up from there in time for Anthony's show later."

She shook her head, protesting weakly and moving to break their contact, "It sounds fun, but I caaan't. I have so much to do."

David clutched her hands tighter so she couldn't get away, drawing her closer. "One night, Kalel. One night of mental rest and fun. That's all I'm asking."

"...you're not gonna take no for an answer, are you?"

"Nope."

Kalel sighed in exasperation, "Fiiine. I'll take a break. But you better leave me alone to play all day tomorrow, then."

David felt a great deal of relief when she finally gave in. He thought it was going to take far more work. It just went to show it was probably something she really wanted, and all he had to do was give her the push. "Deal. Now let's go."

"Um...wait. Time out. Don't you need to get dressed first?"

He paused and looked down at himself before branching off into a laugh, "...Oops. Yeah. I guess you have a point."

"Go, get some clothes on. And since you're dragging me out to the mall, expect to be getting a full makeover while we're there. You'll look so good, Ian won't be able to resist ripping the clothes off of you."

David smiled, "You know - he has a hard enough time resisting that as it is. I don't really think you'll have to do anything special."

"Thanks for putting that mental image in my head. It's bad enough I got a front row view. If you two had been naked, I would've died."

"Your impeccable timing spared you from seeing us draw our swords, but if you barge into my room again whenever he's over, I can't guarantee you'll be so lucky."

"Ugh, you are so gross. Get out of here and get some pants on already."

"I'm getting, I'm getting," he staggered forward as she practically ushered him out of the room.

David thought the conversation had gone well. The only thing left to do was make absolutely sure she had a good time. So he went off to his room to change. What he didn't know, was as soon as he walked away, Kalel went digging through the drawer and popped one of the Ativan pills, washing it down with a swig of her energy drink.

* * *

The driving had gone horribly, as David expected. How the hell did people pay attention to their mirrors, their speedometer, the road signs, and the gas and brake without running over pedestrians or smashing into each other all the time? He had a newfound respect for anyone who could accomplish all those things and still do other things at the same time. Hell, Ian was pretty incredible for not getting them killed that one time David went down on him on the way to school. The drive itself had been a jerky one where he would gas the car and then hit the brake, never finding a smooth transition between accelerating and decelerating. He found he hated left-hand turns, and people tailgating him made him extremely nervous. But at the end of the allotted driving time, they survived. So David figured it was an accomplishment and a success.

He left the car feeling empowered, and the good feeling accompanied him even to the most girly of stores Kalel dragged him to in the mall. She had been supportive of him - teasing his mistakes, but also telling him he did well for a first timer. And more than that, him getting behind the wheel inspired her to do the same. David suggested they do it together, that way they could be each others support. Kalel agreed, but of course, said she couldn't really start until after the recital. So they set the tentative date for their road tests during the first week of December, and it was subject to change depending on how prepared either felt when the date approached.

They browsed stores idly, window shopping and trying things on they couldn't afford. Kalel insisted they go into a suit store and David put one on, and when he came out of the dressing room - she marveled at how handsome he was and took a few pictures on her phone to go on her instagram. It was the closest she got to giving him a makeover, though, because everything they wanted to buy was well out of their price range.

Apart from that, they spent the rest of the day cramming themselves into the photo booth and taking goofy faced pictures, getting smoothies at the food court, lingering around the arcade, and tossing pennies into the fountain at the center of the mall after making wishes. David wished for whatever it was Kalel wished to come true, because all of his own pretty much had.

It was amazing to him how far he had come from life just a year ago to now. The school year had barely even started, and David had a feeling it was going to be great. He had been content to have Joshua as his best friend, and Ian as his boyfriend - but now it seemed his and Kalel's world were converging to make the perfect group. If Ian and Anthony made up and regained the friendship they once had, then everything surrounding them would be solid with the possible exception of Kalel's and Anthony's relationship. Things between them seemed a little rocky, but David was sure that was due to the sheer weight of Kalel's stress and nothing more. She obviously loved him enough to think about spending the rest of her future and life with him, after all. David wondered idly if he and Ian would ever get to that point. _Love._

The day grew later, and although there were still daylight hours left - it was at the time of year where those hours were getting shorter and shorter. By the time David and Kalel went outside to meet Ian, the sun was already in the process of setting. They sat on a low-sitting concrete wall that acted as a protective barrier for an array of floral arrangements, sharing a bag of freshly roasted, glazed almonds from the sweet shop and passing it back and forth when they finished their handfuls.

"You know, it's funny," Kalel plucked an almond out of her palm, popping it in her mouth. "I have to admit that you and Ian make a good couple."

David looked at her in confused amusement, "...thanks?"

She laughed, "I was just thinking about it, and how I was giving you a hard time for hanging around him. But I think that was probably because I was worried you were gonna turn into him. Just seeing him and Anthony start talking again, though, makes me realize you're a good influence on him. If you'd never come along, I bet things would have just stayed the same. Anthony might not admit it, but I could tell he really missed what they had. He's not nearly as close with any of his other guy friends as he was with Ian."

"You never know, Ian might've taken the first step. I mean, he told me it'd been two years and it was pointless to hold onto the grudge since it's senior year. Who knows. I mean, do you really think I could've had any influence on him at all?" David took a handful of almonds and shoved them in his mouth all at once.

"Psh. I _know _it. A year ago, that kid was a mess. And not even a hot one. He didn't seem to care about anyone except maybe Melanie. They've always had a weirdly close friendship...thing. But now I can totally see a sincerity in him. It's like little by little, the old Ian is coming back. He used to be crazy popular back in the Smosh days. He was just so funny and so personable. I'll admit...I only started talking to Anthony so I could get to know Ian."

"_You _had a crush on him?" David asked in surprise.

"Oh, back then - a lot of girls did! Who doesn't love a sexy drummer with an amazing sense of humor and blue eyes that were to die for?" She grinned, nudging him playfully with her shoulder. "Apparently we were barking up the wrong tree."

David looked down, his cheeks heating. "He's bisexual, so there was equal opportunity."

"I hope you can bring the old Ian out. I think you'll love him even more than the one you're with..."

David didn't bother to correct her and tell her what they had wasn't necessarily love. That would be a long, boring, and complicated conversation. Instead, he grabbed the bag of almonds and poured himself some more, simply responding, "Maybe."

They had just finished talking about him when Ian's car pull up to the curb. Joshua sat in the front passenger's seat, looking mildly uncomfortable. Ian, however, seemed even more attractive than normal. There wasn't anything much different about him, but Kalel's conversation made David see him in a different light. Kalel and David rose from their waiting spot, and David headed over to the driver's side. Ian rolled down the window and was suddenly bombarded by an eager kiss of greeting. They lingered there for a moment until David tapered off, and Ian studied him with a mix of confusion and lust.

"Alright, Joven. Get the fuck out and into the back. David's up front."

"But, I-" Joshua looked at Kalel and became flustered.

She smiled easily, which probably only served to make it worse for him, "Don't worry. I don't bite."

"Don't listen to her. She really does. She's a fucking vampire. She'll suck you dry," Ian deliberately made his statement overtly sexual in order to make Joshua even more uncomfortable.

It worked. He went red-faced, got out of the car, and silently settled beside Kalel, sitting there as though he was ashamed to exist in her presence. David couldn't say he cared too much because he got to be next to Ian. And even though it pushed Joshua out of his comfort zone, David was pretty sure he was happier sitting next to Kalel. Which speaking of Kalel, she took the bag of almonds and whacked Ian upside the head for the remark.

"Don't go spilling my secrets, idiot," there was a fondness in her tone before she turned to Joshua and offered the bag. "Toasted almond?"

"Oh, I...you guys had your hands in there, and I kind of have this thing with saliva and germs, so I can't," Joshua waved his hand in protest.

Kalel giggled, "That is probably the most elaborate rejection of food I've ever heard. Suit yourself. You want the rest, David?"

"Pass 'em up," David turned, taking the bag and offering some to Ian. Ian reached in, grabbing a bunch and cramming them in his mouth. A few spilled onto his lap, and David eyed them.

Ian met his gaze and winked, "I know what you're thinking. Looks appetizing, doesn't it?" He lifted his hips teasingly.

David shook his head in amused embarrassment, redirecting his attention to the window, "Asshole."

"Didn't know you were that kinky, but I'm willing to try anything if that's what you wanna taste," Ian snarked.

David wrinkled his nose with a laugh, "I just can't say anything without my words getting twisted around, can I?"

Kalel leaned forward, planting her hand on his shoulder sympathetically, "Welcome to relationship life, brother dearest. Your words will always get twisted into their most perverted form."

"Great. The future's looking grim," David shook his head, sparing a glance toward Ian who had a smirk on his face, before he looked up at the rearview mirror to sneak a peek at Josh who was just looking and listening to the rest of them.

David couldn't ever remember a point in his life where he felt like this before - surrounded by people he cared about. It was such a nice feeling, perhaps the best feeling, the feeling he belonged.


	22. Chapter 22

_Author's Notes: So like I mentioned in the last chapter - I had so many ideas for this one. But overall, I decided to keep the theme very light. I could have very easily taken it to a darker place, haha, but I figure there will be enough of that later in the story. :P You guys deserve some light-hearted fun while it lasts. Ummm not that it really makes too much of a difference, but I'll share it with you in case you're curious. I imagine Anthony's band sounds a lot like Chevelle (particularly 'The Clincher' and 'The Red') while Smosh sounded a bit like older All That Remains ('This Calling' and 'Six'). Just in case you wanted to get the sound in your head, but again! It has no real bearing on the story. Just me sharing my vision. You're free to imagine whatever you want. :D Anyway, hope you enjoy!_

* * *

The venue Anthony was playing at was a little hole in the wall type of place, conveniently named: Hole in the Wall. It had a small bar with an overflowing array of alcohol, a tiny stage at the opposite corner which crammed its performers in very tight, and the rest of the space was designated as standing room for the guests; there were no seats - not even at the bar. At max capacity, it could probably fit about a hundred people inside, and at current capacity, there were about twenty-five including the other bands and the bartender. So maybe it wasn't the greatest turn out, but when Anthony saw them - he grinned as though he was going to be playing to a sold out crowd. The first band was on stage already, and it was a sad attempt at music. The guitars were off rhythm, the drums were too loud, and the singer sounded like a dying cat being wrangled into its final bath. So it was easy to ignore them in favor of greeting Anthony.

"Glad you guys made it," He grinned, reaching out for Kalel and pulling her in for a quick kiss. "Didn't think I'd be seeing you out for another few weeks."

She smiled and shrugged, gesturing at David, "You've got David to thank for it. He dragged me out of my cave and forced me to _improvise_ today."

David beamed with pride, "You're welcome."

"I'm gonna go get a beer. Anyone else want anything?" Ian took a step back from the group.

"Beer? But you're not twenty one..." Joshua pointed out the obvious.

This prompted Ian to pull out his fake ID, taking a few backwards steps to his destination, "Says who?"

"Oh man, this is so illegal. What am I doing here? I should've just stayed home," Joshua muttered to himself.

"Alright, so one beer for Joven. Anyone else want one?" Ian offered one final time.

"I didn't-" Joshua protested, but David cut him off.

"Sure. I'll try one, too, if you're paying," he moved toward Joshua, linking an arm around his shoulders. "Lighten up, Josh. This is Ian's way of getting you to loosen up and have a good time." He patted his friend right on the Batman logo of his shirt. "Trust me."

"Famous last words," Joshua frowned, reaching up to push his glasses back into place.

Anthony looked after Ian for a moment before he turned to the rest of the group, "I'll be right back."

He parted from Kalel and followed Ian. David watched them before looking back at Kalel and Josh, "Okay. I can't be the only nosy one who wants to know what they're gonna say, can I?"

Kalel laughed, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear, "No. Trust me, you're not. But it's not like we can go hide in the massive crowd of people to listen in..." She gestured toward the empty space.

David frowned, searching for a means to eavesdrop before finding his golden ticket. The bathrooms were right next to the bar - separated from the rest of the room by a half wall with a sign illuminating the fact that there were restrooms behind it. From the looks of things, walking around the corner to go to the bathroom would provide just enough of a hiding place to be out of sight while being close enough to listen in if cat man stopped shrieking long enough. It was worth a try.

"Well I have a sudden urge to use the bathroom. I'll be right back," David excused himself graciously.

"W-wait! Don't leave me alone!" Joshua protested, glancing over at Kalel shyly.

She laughed, "You're not alone, silly. I'll keep you company while David takes his sweet time in the bathroom~" She hooked her arm around Joshua's, beaming up at him which caused him to blush furiously. He looked at David with a silent plea for him to not take too long or else he might die.

David understood the look too well, having been a sad, lonely virgin himself not too long ago. But being around Kalel was good for Josh, healthy. Plus, it might give him something to jerk off to later (preferably not in David's bedroom). So David saluted him with a look that read he was on his own before he headed off on his mission, walking toward the bathroom casually with a side glance at Anthony and Ian. Ian was in the process of ordering the drinks, so Anthony hadn't started talking to him yet. Perfect.

He rounded the corner as though he was going into the men's bathroom, but instead flattened himself against the half wall divider. It really was the perfect size - just big enough to fit behind and still obscure his body from view. He knew the intent was really to hide the bathroom doors from the main area, but he had to wonder if eavesdropping was a secondary idea behind the design. Either way, he stopped thinking and listened for Anthony's or Ian's voice. After a few seconds, he was rewarded with Anthony's.

"You know...it means a lot to me that you came. Out of everyone, I respect your musical opinion the most. I know you'll tell me what you think without sugarcoating anything."

"It's no problem. And if you want my critique, it's yours. Only I don't think you could play _anything _bad. Not with your talent."

The embarrassed modesty could be heard in Anthony's voice, "I'm not that great. And the music's way different from the stuff we used to do. It's more singing, and I don't think I'm the strongest singer."

"Who the fuck cares if you're strong or not? It ain't about sounding like a chorus of angels, it's about making good music. And if you listen to the radio lately, there ain't a whole lot of that on there. You love what you do, Anthony. You're not gonna do wrong up there."

"I guess we'll just have to see." There was a silent pause. "So how're you doing these days?"

"I'm off dope if that's what you're asking."

"...it wasn't, but I'm glad to hear it. How long've you been clean?"

"Last time I used was four months ago."

"Good for you, Ian. I'm proud of you. The way you were...I didn't think there was any cleaning you up. I thought I'd lost you."

"For a while I lost me too. But you get to thinking as you're sticking that needle in your arm - what are you doing with your life? And then you shoot and ride the euphoria, only it's not euphoric anymore. You're just doing it so you can feel fucking normal and not puke your guts out. And what kind of way is that to live? I'm not gonna lie and say I'm recovered because I still think about it. I still crave it. But I fought through dope sickness, and if I remember how shitty I felt then, it stops me from giving in because I don't wanna go through it again."

"You're probably the strongest guy I know."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"I mean it, though. No one else would be able to rebound from the dead like that. I mean, look at you. You've cleaned up. You're in a relationship. You're slowly regaining your friends. You've pretty much crawled your way up from rock bottom. It's impressive."

"Stop. You'll make me blush," Ian joked.

David smiled a little. The conversation seemed to be going well for them, and it just went to show that even though they hadn't spoken for two years, they hadn't lost the thing that made them best friends. As he was lost in thought, someone chose that moment to round the corner and nearly slammed into David. Surprised, he mumbled an apology and got out of the way without thinking, stepping into view. His eyes flickered toward Ian and Anthony, and he froze when Anthony's eyes met his. As soon as the person went into the bathroom, David ducked back into his protective hiding spot, but he was sure it was too late. Anthony must have known he was listening in. Stupid, stupid, stupid - he should've ducked into the bathroom if anything.

"So," Anthony began, a little louder and pointed this time. "You and David. How's that going?"

"I can't complain. He's a good guy. Probably a little too good for me, but it's what he wants, and I couldn't find it in me to say no."

David's stomach lurched and he hung on the next words. Especially after Anthony asked the question that was on the forefront of his mind, "Is it what you want?"

The fact that Ian hesitated to answer made David's heart sink to his stomach.

"That's not an easy answer. I guess if you go solely based on what I want, then yeah. It is. But that doesn't mean it's the best thing for me. I mean, fuck, I still want dope, but I know giving in and having it would be the worst thing I can do. Our relationship is in this gray area where it could go either way, and the last thing I want to do is hurt him. Because I think about how I fucked things up with you and me, and it was one of my biggest regrets. I never got close to anyone after that. I never wanted to be the guy who ruins things, so I never let anyone in. Until David."

David was touched, but at the same time, sympathetic. Hearing Ian was afraid made him want to swoop in and give him kisses and tell him he could never ruin things between them, no matter how unrealistic the words might have been. He wished there was something he could do or say to convince Ian it was worth taking the chance, and no matter how it ended (or didn't end), there would be nothing to regret. But while he mulled over possible things he could say, he heard Anthony reply.

"Well, I think you chose the right person to let in. You were lucky he came into your life. So don't let him go because he brings out the absolute best in you. I have no doubt if it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be talking right now. And that's a pretty amazing feat because if you asked me a month ago, I would've sworn I would hate you for the rest of my life. But I'll let you go," Anthony's voice rose a little louder. "I think I see him coming out of the bathroom."

Who would have guessed Anthony would be so awesome? But David understood a cue when he heard one, so he stepped out of hiding - making eye contact with Anthony. They shared a look where David silently expressed a 'thank you' and Anthony answered with 'no problem.' As he walked away, Ian, who had his back to the bathroom doors the whole time, twisted around to see him. David offered a wan smile, going up to the bar and before he could say a word, Ian drew him close and kissed him. It was a kiss unlike any other - full of appreciation and gratitude. David melted into it, resting his palms on Ian's shoulders, and while it was brief, it was unforgettable.

Ian drew back, leaning his forehead against David's, and for a moment, he said nothing - thumbing the curve of David's jaw and lingering there affectionately. David's heart sped up. Was this the definition of love? To feel so full of adoration and appreciation you felt like you would burst? He closed his eyes and wanted to say it. The moment felt right to tell Ian he loved him because in that moment he did. At least he thought he did.

"Here," Ian broke their silence by sliding the beer in his direction.

David took it with both hands, cupping the cold glass. He realized to blurt out he loved Ian would be impulsive - especially since he didn't know if that was what he felt. The emotion was intense, but it came and then ebbed - receding back to normalcy. David licked his lips, looking down at the bottle, "Thanks."

"Let's go get Joven drunk and laugh at him," Ian grinned, easing away from the bar and leading them back to their little group.

By this point the first band had left the stage and the second band was in the process of setting up. There was a sad amount of chatter going on in the room, accompanied by the checking of mics and tuning of guitars. David could hear Kalel's voice above all, joking with Josh and laughing at her own jokes. Joshua, for the most part, was silent. And by the time they made it back to them, he looked up with such relief it was as though he had been thrown a life preserver when he was in the middle of drowning.

"Here," Ian handed the beer to him. "Enjoy."

Joshua took it awkwardly, sparing a glance at David, "Are you actually gonna drink it?" He brought it up to his nose and gave in a sniff test. "It smells horrible!"

"Yeah I'm gonna drink it. And you're gonna too. As a matter of fact, cheers," David reached out with his bottle to clink against Joshua's before tilting it back and taking his first swig. He couldn't help the disgusted look that passed over his face.

"Why are you making that face!" Joshua had just been about to taste it.

Ian rolled his eyes, grabbed the end of Josh's bottle, forcing it up to his mouth and pouring it in. Joshua nearly choked, but swallowed it down, grimacing, "Oh. Oh god. That's nasty."

Kalel burst into a fit of giggles, pointing at the both of them, "Look at their faces! C'mon, guys. Suck it up. It's just a beer."

Ian smirked, "Yeah. And they get better as you get past the first one." He knocked his back like a champion, gulping down a few mouthfuls.

David, not really wanting to be shown up by Joshua, drank the rest of his beer without complaint. Reluctantly, Joshua did the same. And that was how they spent all of the second act's set list - drinking and talking. Gradually, Joshua began to loosen up. He laughed more, he made eye contact with Kalel (and also chest contact, not really hiding the fact that he was checking her out), and more than that, he let go and seemed to enjoy himself. David was genuinely happy to see that, even if he was getting a bit fuzzy headed himself. Being drunk seemed to make David more clingy, and Ian was mostly on the receiving end. But when Ian went to the bar to get them more drinks, David transferred to Josh or Kalel, wrapping them in his arms and telling them how much he loved them.

About halfway through the second band, more people started to arrive. The abysmal numbers had grown by half with even more wandering in, and David realized they must have been coming for Anthony. These people were pretty smart missing the drowning cat band. The one that was playing at the moment didn't sound too bad, but David hadn't really been paying much attention to them to be honest. It was nice to see Anthony had a devoted following. And that was all the thought he gave to it before he dragged Ian into a desperately passionate kiss.

Of course, someone had to ruin the moment by approaching them, "Oh my god. Ian? Ian Hecox? Is that you?"

David and Ian separated in order to look at the newcomer. It was a pretty, blond-haired woman wearing a skimpy, cleavage-revealing outfit and a little too much makeup. She lit up in recognition at the sight of him, barging in to David's territory and drawing Ian into a hug.

"Wow, this is so awesome! I never got to tell you how bummed I was Smosh broke up. Are you gonna be playing with Anthony tonight? That would kick so much ass!"

"No, I'm just here to support him, um...sorry. I don't remember your name?" Ian scratched the side of his head idly.

"Erin. It's Erin," and she turned to David, extending her hand. "I'm Erin. I was a big fan of Smosh turned fan of Anthony."

"David," he took the hand, shaking it and trying to come up with his part in the whole big picture of Anthony and Ian. When he came up empty-handed, he blurted out the first thing that came to mind: "I blow Ian."

She stared at him for a second before bursting into a laugh, "Good to know."

"Ian! Ian, stop making out because I'm running low on-" Joshua had suddenly turned around, holding out his hand with the empty beer bottle before grabbing a handful of boob. Erin's boob. He squeezed it in confusion, looking down then up then back down again. "Oh. Hello."

Erin raised her brow, "...hi."

"My hand is on your chest, isn't it?"

"Yeah," she nodded.

"It's a really nice chest. Very soft to the touch."

"This is starting to get weird, you know?"

"Oh, right! Sorry!" Joshua branched off into a laugh, prying his hand away as though he had just touched something way too hot.

She laughed, at least finding the encounter amusing rather than offensive. "Maybe I'll see you around..." With a wink, she wandered off to meet up with some of her girlfriends, chatting and giggling and tossing a glance over her shoulder at Joshua.

Josh, in the meantime, looked down at his hand as he wandered over to Ian and David, "Did you see that? I just got to second base. I totally got to second base! I might never wash this hand again..." He stared at it before his nose scrunched up. "Okay. I'd never be able to not wash it. I should actually go do that now. I've been touching so many things and the germs and-"

"You should go get her number, that's what you should do," David interrupted Joshua's thought process.

"Yeah, man. You should. She didn't slap you, so that's a good sign she might let you touch 'em again," Ian pointed out.

"If you ask me, she looks like a whore," Kalel got tired of being alone and rejoined them with that statement.

"Kalel!" Joshua protested; shocked and horrified she could say something so awful about such a classy girl who let him touch her breast for at LEAST thirty seconds.

"I'm just being honest. Look at the way she's ogling Anthony. I should go grab her by her bleached hair and knock her the fuck out," she bristled, which was an amusing sight considering she was dressed in such pretty, girly clothes while threatening to destroy someone's face. David couldn't help but laugh.

Ian reached out to pat her on the head and offer the rest of his beer in her direction, "There, there. Drink up and know there's no way Anthony would go with her because she's gonna be going down on Joven."

"That remains to be seen. And also remains very doubtful." And yet Joshua looked to where Erin had disappeared with nothing short of hope in his eyes.

"Hey - whoa, I'm falling," David teetered, caught by Ian before he could drop. He looked up at him with a grin and a laugh. "Anyway, I was gonna say that band's done. That means Anthony should be coming up next, right?"

Kalel cupped her hands at her mouth and called out, "WOOOO! GO ANTHONY!" She took a swig of Ian's beer, wiping the remnants off with the back of her hand before offering him back his drink. "I'm gonna go get a better spot."

"You wanna follow her?" David looked up at Ian curiously.

He shook his head, "Nah. I can see just fine from here. And besides, it ain't about seeing. It's about hearing it. He'd rather I'm here to listen than here to watch."

While Anthony and his band were in the process of setting up, Joshua snuck off into the crowd in order to get closer to Erin. David was still sober enough to laugh at this (though drunk enough to laugh out loud about it). He didn't know what type of person Erin was, but hopefully it worked out for Josh - if for nothing else, just to get him laid.

David, in the meantime, took Ian's arms and then clasped them around his stomach - like his own personal seatbelt. His back pressed to Ian's chest, and he focused his attention on the stage as a chorus of chants began to beckon them to start playing. The band's name was apparently Pink Flamingo - which was a little strange for a rock band, but there were weirder out there.

After the sound checks were finished, Anthony took the center stage and something about his entire demeanor changed. This was the musician taking over, the front man taking the spotlight. As soon as he drove the first few chords home on his guitar, he began to sing and perform with such a presence it was impossible for David to take his eyes away. Anthony's music caused the moderate crowd to jump, dance, and cheer, and he performed from the soul and to the crowd - making it a very personal experience.

David spared a glance back at Ian, only to see the approval written all over his face. From the little smile alone, David could tell Ian was proud of Anthony, and maybe a little upset he wasn't the one up there with him. He leaned back against his boyfriend, returning his attention to the stage and listening to the next few songs. When the third one ended, Anthony walked toward the drummer - exchanging some unheard words with him and reaching out to grab a bottle of water, guzzling some before splashing his sweat-soaked face with the rest. He shook off like a dog before walking back to the microphone.

"At this time, I'd like everyone to welcome a special guest - Ian Hecox to the stage!"

David was surprised, especially as everyone in the crowd turned to face them. He looked back at Ian, who was equally shocked - stepping away from David slowly. As if in a daze, Ian wandered toward the stage, the crowd parting for him the way they had at school - Ian Hecox, Moses of the People who could part a line straight down the center of a crowd no matter where he was. He vaulted up onto the lip of the stage, and Erin was the first one to lead a series of enthusiastic cheers. Anthony's arm went around Ian's shoulder, locking him up there.

"...what're you doing?" Ian asked, a touch uncomfortable as he weakly waved at the most energetic fans.

Anthony ignored him, "Some of you obviously know, but some of you don't - a few years ago, Ian and I were in a band together. The band was called..."

"SMOSH!" Yelled a few girls.

Anthony grinned, gesturing at them, "Smosh, like they said. We had a great run, and I thought since we're both here - it'd be fun to do something for old time sake."

"...yeah. But it would've been nice to get some kind of warning. This is the thing nightmares are made of. Only difference is I'm not naked." Ian looked down to check.

The crowd laughed, and David cheered, grabbing a dollar bill out of his pocket and waving it. "WOO! TAKE IT OFF!"

Ian singled him out above the rest, flipping him off comically. People were amused by the display, and Anthony's drummer got up - handing his sticks over to Ian before gesturing to the seat in order to let him 'take the throne.' Ian took it uncertainly, settling down and giving each different drum an experimental hit. He seemed unsure of himself, having not played since Smosh's breakup - but the look Anthony gave him was one of complete confidence that he would be able to pick it right up as though he'd never stopped. They talked for a little bit, and try as David might to make out what they were saying - he was a piss poor lip reader.

After a few seconds, Anthony resumed his position at the front of the stage. David watched him until his attention was pulled to Kalel when she darted over, grabbed his wrist, and dragged him up closer to the stage - all while grinning. He managed to smile, even though he felt a little embarrassed to be squeezed between people and so close to these incredible performers.

The music started, though, and everything else melted away. It was hard, it was fast - it was like really good sex with Ian, to be honest. Ian's arms flew over his drums - rolling, hitting, tapping, and crashing with such powerful and amazing precision. How he could keep the double bass going while hitting different beats was beyond David. It was multi-tasking at its best. When Anthony came in with his chords and riffs, screaming the lyrics to their song - David was blown away. He thought Anthony was good before, yeah. But this was absolutely insane! The way Ian and Anthony came together, it was as though they were in tune with each other right down to their souls - creating something David imagined only professionals had.

This time, David was the one who wore the smile of pride. That was his boyfriend up there, and his boyfriend was absolutely amazing.


	23. Chapter 23

_Author's Notes: These chapters are just getting longer and longer. :| Sorry! lol I don't foresee them getting shorter in the upcoming chapters either. It's a double-edged sword because I could easily make them shorter, but then there would be more chapters. And I feel like no one really wants to invest in a fic that has a million chapters. At least I know I'm put off by things that are like...60 chapters long or something haha. Even when it's not fanfic! I'm reading Les Mis right now, and I want to cry because it's so long. But anyway, I digress. I had a snowday so I got to spend the entire time writing. Hope you guys enjoy! Also, TheMediaKiller, my lips are sealed~ these are top secret plans to punch you back in the feels after your Iancorn today. hehe :P EVERYONE GO READ HER STORY AND CONVINCE HER TO WRITE ME MORE IANCORN, okay? Okay! Thanks for reading! :D_

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After the show, the group decided to head out to the local 24 hour diner and get some food. Ian insisted David and Joshua get some water in their system, too, wanting to spare them from waking up the next day and puking everywhere. To be honest, David didn't care what he was doing as long as his hands were all over Ian. As a matter of fact, he nearly went down on him in the car ride over. The only thing stopping him was Joshua being in the backseat. Kalel was riding over with Anthony, and David should have insisted they take Josh, too. But he did manage a few discreet gropes, so all was not a loss.

The diner was vacant for the most part - a spattering of people here and there, mostly teens, took up a few random seats. Two older men with their semis parked out front drank coffee and watched the closed captioned news while a group of girls decked out in their club attire shared a dessert while talking about their latest conquest. The first band that played at Anthony's show was also there, wallowing in their post-show misery (or maybe that was just David's take on it and they really thought of it as their own conquest). Either way, David's group was seated at a large table meant for six, giving Kalel a chair for her oversized purse. When the waitress came around, they ordered their food (none of it healthy) and then sipped their drinks in the meantime - David being good, having only ordered water with lemon. He leaned his head against Ian's shoulder as he sipped from the straw, tired, still pretty drunk, but mostly content.

Joshua bemoaned the fact that he hadn't worked up enough courage to give Erin his number, his head in his hands, "I can't believe I was so close and I still couldn't tell her. She even looked at me a few times during Anthony's set."

"It's for the best, trust me. You'd probably get a disease," Kalel squeezed her lemon into her iced tea before dropping the wedge into the glass and stirring it to the bottom.

"Erin's really not _that_ bad," Anthony looked at his girlfriend, only to receive a death glare.

Ian laughed, "There are just some things that shouldn't be argued if you want to get laid. I'm just saying..." He held his hands up innocently when Anthony gave him a dirty look.

"Speaking of getting laid," David straightened upright. "So I think Josh says he wants to sleep in the guest room, yeah?"

Josh made a face, "I didn't say that, but you're not gonna give me much of a choice, are you?"

David grinned, "Not unless you wanna watch."

"Be careful. He'll probably take you up on that offer," Ian pointed out.

"Why are we talking about everyone's sex lives again?" Kalel rolled her eyes.

"Exactly!" Joshua held his hands out to Kalel, grateful she said it. "They don't get it! They don't get what it's like to be the forever virgin. Even when I start to get somewhere, she just vanishes into thin air and I have no idea if I'll ever see her again." His head withered down to the table as he lamented. "I think I loved her..."

Anthony stared at Joshua for a moment before branching off into a laugh, "Dude, how much did he drink?"

"Two got him to that state," Ian shook his head as though it was a sad, sad thing. "At least this one," he planted his hand atop David's head, moving it from side to side, "took four."

David beamed with pride, "I am the champion. Does that make you my prize?" He drew Ian into a kiss.

"Alright. Get a room, you two," Anthony crumpled up his napkin and tossed it over to break them apart.

"You're just jealous," David retorted, grabbing the napkin and throwing it back at him.

"What does he have to be jealous over? I'm pretty sure I satisfy all of his needs," Kalel grinned sweetly, leaning against Anthony's shoulder. "Isn't that right, babe?"

"That's right, babe," he pet her hair to appease her and she purred happily.

Joshua let out a groan, stirring his ice around in his cup with his chin resting on his palm. His eyes drifted toward the door, and he suddenly stopped what he was doing, "It's her!"

The rest of them looked at him after his exclamation, confused. But upon following his attention to the door, they saw Erin coming into the diner. She had cleaned up her makeup a great deal and when she took off her coat, it seemed she had traded her skimpy outfit for the blue waitress uniform dress. She headed behind the bar, grabbing an apron and tying it around her waist, talking to the other on-duty staff. David didn't know if the gay was clouding his brain, but he found she looked much better in a more subdued style of dress. Kalel bristled at the sight of her, and Anthony calmed her with more soothing pats. Joshua, however, looked on the verge of having a mild freak out.

"What do I do? I didn't prepare for this! What if she sees me? What if she comes over here?"

"Then you give her your number. Like you've been crying about not doing the whole time. Look at it like a golden opportunity," Ian flicked his balled up straw wrapper at him.

"Worst she could do is not call, dude," Anthony offered as though it was no big deal.

David knew Anthony meant well, but he didn't understand what it was like for guys like him and Joshua to be rejected. After all, Anthony was the type of guy who never had a reason to have low self-esteem. So he offered a more heartfelt smile to Joshua, "She'd be an idiot to miss the chance on getting to know you."

Joshua looked between the three of them, and then finally focused his attention on Kalel, who hadn't given her opinion yet, "What do you think?"

She seemed surprised he was consulting her, glancing off in Erin's direction thoughtfully. When her focus returned to Josh, she offered him a warm smile, "I say there's no harm in trying..."

"Alright!" Suddenly determined, Joshua grabbed his napkin. "Pen. I need a pen. Who has a pen?"

Kalel rummaged around in her pocket book of wonders before presenting a pen to him. He scrawled his number out on the napkin like a man on a mission, nearly ripping it in the process. Joshua set the pen back on the table with his eyes lingering on Erin. He swallowed hard and looked at the rest of his friends, nodding once - a determined nod. He was going to do this. David smiled a little at Joshua's bravery and silently cheered him on as he got up from his seat, napkin clutched within his trembling fingers. He got about half way to Erin before he hesitated, looking back at the group. Simultaneously, they urged him forward with a hand motion, and Joshua used it for courage, slowly moving to the bar.

They watched as Joshua got closer to Erin, fidgeting as he courage wavered. They watched as she was oblivious to him, refilling the coffee for the truck drivers in front of her. They watched as one of the chefs came out of the kitchen, a young guy in his twenties with a bandana tied around his head. They watched as he took Erin in his arms and gave her a kiss that was definitely more than friends. They watched as Joshua recoiled from the scene, his napkin number dropping from his fingers, floating to the floor. They watched as his heart broke and he turned away, returning to the table dejectedly.

"Josh, I'm..." Kalel began, but Joshua held up his hand to silence her.

"I'm gonna go outside for a little bit," he announced, his voice lifeless and dull.

They said nothing, allowing him to escape the diner and head out the door. And even after he was gone, an uncomfortable silence lingered over them until David finally got up and said, "I'm gonna go after him if no one minds. Let me know when our food comes." He leaned in to press a quick kiss to Ian's lips before retreating after his friend.

David pushed open the door, looking around the parking lot until he saw Joshua seated on the curb with his head in his hands. He frowned, approaching slowly before settling beside him. David folded his arms over his knees, sparing a glance at Joshua before looking up at the sky.

"I'm so stupid..." Joshua muttered.

"No. You're not."

"Of _course_ she had a boyfriend. I mean, why would I think a beautiful girl like her would be single? Hell, why would I think a beautiful girl like her would even be interested in me?"

"She let you touch her boob without slapping you. I mean, that would be enough to confuse even the most experienced guy."

A weak smile turned up on his lips, but it faded almost as soon as it appeared, "For some reason, I thought tonight would be different. Special somehow. For that one moment I stood up, I thought I could change my life. I'm a senior. I finally had friends. Who was to say I couldn't get a girlfriend on the same night I spent hanging out with those friends? Who was to say me and Erin couldn't be the other couple to join you and Ian or Anthony and Kalel? For that one moment, I thought I could do it. I could make it happen..." He looked over at David. "But then reality came crashing down and that's the one thing that never fails to fuck me."

"It's not all a loss, though, right? I mean, you got to second base..." David offered for lack of better advice.

"Yeah, but that doesn't even count. That was like...I hit the ball and the second baseman caught it, but then dropped it and I tripped over it and landed there."

"But you got there. The journey itself doesn't matter. You," he reached out, prodding Joshua in the chest with his index finger, "got the bragging rights."

"Some bragging rights. You know, I wish I could be more like you..."

David shook his head, "No you don't."

"I do," Joshua protested. "It's like the world is falling into place for you and everything is going right. All of those memorable senior year moments that I wish I could have? You've lived them. And it's not even October yet."

David shook his head again, "But I started the road the same as you. I come from the same place, and the only thing that helped me get out of it...was meeting you." He glanced toward the door, contemplating, before he suddenly turned his body to face Joshua. "Ian is the person I chose to be with, but let's forget about that for a moment. Because tonight, I want you to have a memory to carry with you for the rest of your life whether it's good or bad or hilarious."

David licked his lips, reaching out and planting his hands on the sides of Joshua's cheeks. Joshua seemed stunned by what was happening and before he could protest, David inched closer to kiss him. They lingered there until Joshua became comfortable enough to return it tentatively. David didn't kiss him with passion or the intent to have sex, but it was a gentle, loving kiss - one he hoped would convey how much he cared about Josh.

When he figured it went on long enough, David tapered off - taking in the confused awe on Joshua's face. With a small smile, he said, "Now you can say you got to first _and _second base."

Joshua reached up to touch his lips, still in shock he had his first kiss, "You didn't have to do that..."

"Of course I did. What kind of best friend would I be if I let your first kiss be with someone who didn't love you?"

Joshua was touched and speechless. He just averted his gaze and let out a sound of gratitude. At least, David assumed it was gratitude. It could just as easily been shame, guilt, or embarrassment. But at that point, a voice rose up from behind them.

"The waitress just brought our food over." It was Ian.

David felt an unprecedented panic. While he didn't think what he did would cause any harm to their relationship, he wasn't sure what Ian had seen or if he would take it out of context - or even if he was the type to get upset and jealous because he always seemed so laid back. David turned to face him, but Ian didn't betray his emotions, looking calm and content. He glanced back at Joshua who offered a half smile, getting up wordlessly and nodding to the both of them before going back in. Ian stood there, waiting for David, and David got up slowly, feeling a dull pang of dread as he approached.

"How long were you there?" He asked reluctantly.

"Long enough," Ian answered.

"Then you saw..."

"Everything," the reply was short and clipped. David wasn't sure what to make of it, not even knowing how to respond, so it was a good thing Ian swooped in and kissed him - a deep, heated, claim-staking kiss. One that left David light-headed with desire. Ian thumbed his cheek with a smile. "You are possibly the best person I know."

David blushed, "I'm not..." He never knew how to take compliments, so he changed the topic quickly. "- you're not mad?"

"Why would I be? You were doing that as a friend."

"I don't know if I would be as forgiving," David confessed with a smile. "I'm a jealous son of a bitch."

Ian laughed, "I'm good at reading people. Their motives. You weren't kissing him sexually. In your mind, you weren't cheating, so in my eyes, you weren't. Now let's get back inside before our food gets cold. There's nothing worse than cold french fries."

When Ian started to walk, taking him by the hand, David remained rooted where he was. He wanted to tell him how he felt. He wanted to say the words, even if they were technically only four days into their relationship, because in his eyes, they were together for longer. They had been sleeping together for a month. It was more than enough time for his feelings to grow. "Ian, I..."

Ian stopped when their arms went taut and he met David's resistance. He turned to face him, "Mmm?"

David opened his mouth, the _I love you_ right on the tip of his tongue. But a sudden fear gripped him and he clamped his mouth shut, shaking his head with a forced smile. He leaned in, brushing a light kiss against his lips before pulling back. "I want you to fuck me so hard when we get back to my place."

Ian cocked his head before branching into a laugh, "With the way you've been teasing me tonight, it's gonna be _brutal_." He kissed David's cheek before guiding him inside.

David forced a smile, walking back into the diner. He didn't know what it was he was so afraid of - it was just saying the words seemed like a serious thing. It seemed like the next level, and David was afraid of reaching that level. Once they made it there, there was no place else to go but down. And David liked having something to look forward to, he liked having an upward goal to strive toward. If they didn't have that, what was to stop Ian from breaking up with him once things started to stagnate?

He sank onto his seat and hungrily tucked into his burger, filling in the extra room in his mouth with a few fries. Joshua looked up at them upon their return before flashing them a napkin, "Guys, look!"

Scrawled on the napkin was feminine writing with a message reading: _I found your napkin and thought I should return the favor. Would love to get to know you. xoxo Erin._ This note was followed by her number. David grinned, raising his free hand and they high fived.

Anthony regarded them in amusement, "Yeah. And you know who you got to thank for it?" He lifted his hand over Kalel's head, pointing down at her.

"I don't care! She had every right to know what she did to Josh. Even if I had to come off like a bitch to let her know," she swirled her mozzarella stick in the marinara sauce before taking a bite.

"Kalel," Joshua's expression warmed over, eyes sweeping over the group at the table. "You guys..." He became a little choked up, laughing it off. "This is the best night of my life."

"So far," Anthony speared a fork full of pie and shoveled it into his mouth, not even bothering to chew as he added: "It only goes up from here."

"And he means _it_ goes up - her cooch or her ass, depending on what you prefer," Ian smirked.

"Of course Ian's the one who goes there," David laughed.

"Well, I'm really hoping this means _I'll_ get there eventually," Joshua drew the napkin close before folding it up and putting it in his pocket.

"Speaking of going there, Kalel, there's something I wanted to do for a while," Anthony rubbed the back of his neck uncertainly. "And I can't think of a better time to do it, than in front of our friends."

"...what," Kalel raised her brow, looking at the rest of them. "Wait, hold on? What are we doing in front of everyone? I hope you're veering off to a new topic and not the same one we've been on."

"And I hope you're not," Joshua grinned, rubbing his hands together.

She pushed his face, "Okay. Creepy."

Anthony seemed nervous as he got up out of his seat, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a black velvet box. Upon seeing this, Kalel's hands flew up to her face, covering her mouth as she shook her head her protest, but Anthony got down on one knee anyway. Ian took out his phone so he could record the whole thing, while David put his knees on his seat so he could give himself a boost to get a better view of the action. Anthony opened up the ring box to reveal a silver ring with an aquamarine heart in the center, surrounded by sapphire gemstones on either side.

"I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Kalel. You've always been the girl for me. But we're young and I don't have the money to get you the engagement ring just yet, so I wanted to give you this in its place - a promise ring. I promise to be true to us and to you, through the good times and the bad times. If you'll let me, I'd love to be the one who marries you. And if you accept this ring, I'll be the happiest guy alive. So what do you say, Kalel? Do you want to invest in us?"

Kalel was speechless, still hiding behind her hands. All she could manage was a choked sob before nodding. Anthony grinned, reaching up to draw her hands away and kiss her. Then he pulled back, taking her hand and slipping the ring onto her finger. She made a sound between a laugh and a cry as she looked at it before swiping at her cheeks and reaching out to kiss him again. Only afterward did she realize she was being recorded.

"Turn that off, idiot!" She berated playfully, grabbing the crumpled napkin Anthony had thrown before and tossing it at Ian.

Ian smirked, "Not a chance. You're gonna look back at this and thank me. Why doesn't everyone get in the shot?" He looked over at David, gesturing him to get over to their side of the table.

"Why do I have to get dragged into this?" David complained, but got up regardless, tucking his hands in his pockets as he wandered behind the happy couple.

"Joven, get closer..." Ian waved him inward.

"I'm not close enough?" Joshua frowned, straining his neck to get in the picture.

"Here. Come sit here," Kalel removed her purse from the seat closest to her and Joshua scooted into it, flashing a smile at the screen.

"Wait a second, how are you gonna get in the picture?" David directed the question at Ian.

"You guys don't want my face ruining it."

"Are you kidding me?" Anthony rolled his eyes before calling out. "Hey, Erin! Come over here real quick. We need you to take a picture."

She looked up from what she was doing, "One second!" And she wrote out the bill for her customers before heading over to their table and taking Ian's phone from his hands. "Alright, get over there and squeeze in next to your loverboy."

Ian made a face, "Still don't see why I gotta get in the shot."

"If I'm in it, you're in it," David dragged him closer, his lips landing on his cheek as his eyes veered toward their photographer, deciding this was going to be his pose.

"Alright, that's perfect. Everybody say 'cheese!'"

They did and she snapped the shot. "And one more." She turned the phone length-wise in order to get a different angle. "You kids are beautiful."

Erin handed them back the phone before getting back to work, and everyone poured over the image. Kalel lamented over how she looked like crap while Joshua pointed out he was blinking during one of the shots. Anthony asked if his hair was really that messed up while he attempted to comb it back into a semi-decent state with his fingers, and Ian simply said it would be better without him. But David saw something more - he saw them happy. He saw a group of people frozen in time after having one of the best nights of their life. He saw Kalel with a smile that reached her eyes, happier than she had been in weeks. And when David saw it, he thought everything was going to be good - that they could only have more nights like this.

Little did he know, this was the very last time he would ever see Kalel happy again.


End file.
